


Ginny Weasley and the Headless Horseman

by Qurinas



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-05-25
Updated: 2003-05-25
Packaged: 2017-10-25 19:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/273986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qurinas/pseuds/Qurinas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the summer before their fifth year, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood are presented with an exciting opportunity that will carry them far from home to investigate a mysterious creature haunting an American Witches's camp. Their adventure will teach them much about the wizarding world and about each other, if they can survive it, that is…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Luna's Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story I wrote in Harry Potter fandom. It appeared in the 'zine: Love of a Woman II.

It seemed almost unreal that six wizards in training had actually done it - fought against the Death Eaters and survived to tell the tale. Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, Ginny and Luna had done what no one had thought possible, infiltrating the Ministry of Magic in an attempt to stop Lord Voldemort and his agents.

As Ginny Weasley lay in the bed she had been given in the Infirmary, her mind churned. Not with thoughts of the day before and the battles that had been waged or even of the death of Harry's Godfather, but of lighter matters. It was deep in the night and a thin shaft of moonlight pierced the room through the drawn curtains. Having awakened only moments before, Ginny now peered across the room in the direction of the other beds where her cohorts were recovering from their battles.

With her face resting against the pillow, Ginny looked over at one bed in particular to see the form beneath the sheets twisting and turning. At first it appeared that the girl beneath the covers was having a nightmare but after Ginny observed for a while it became clear that the dream was far from unpleasant. As Hermione Granger arched her back off the bed, a small moan echoed in the silence of the room.

Glancing around, Ginny was able to see into all but the deepest shadows. She could see that the rest of her friends were asleep and that Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen. Turning her attention back to Hermione, Ginny listened carefully to the soft moans while keeping her eyes locked on the restless form shifting under a sweet dream's gentle caress.

Finally, pulling her attention away from Hermione and closing her eyes, Ginny thought back on the past couple of years. First, she thought about her friends’ reactions to her supposed crush on Harry. It had always been a ploy of hers to deflect attention from her true crush, Hermione Granger. Even her last boyfriend - and her current one - were mere diversions to prevent unwanted questions from her brothers. She would rather have them throwing a fit about her "boyfriend" than potentially throwing a fit about the truth.

She moved on to consider how incredibly easy it had been to fool Ron and the others. It appeared none of them could conceive of the idea that Ginny actually had a crush on another girl. And since Ginny's crush spent so much time with Harry, it was easy to stare at her under the pretense that she was staring at The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Opening her eyes, Ginny's gaze returned affectionately to the head of curls partially hidden by the blankets. Feeling her own excitement at the thought of Hermione's dream, Ginny reached down to hike up her nightshirt and run her finger teasingly over the front of her panties.

"She dreams," came a whispered voice from the nearby corner. "But not of whom you would wish it to be."

Ginny gasped and quickly brought her hand to her mouth to stifle the sound. Rolling over in her bed, she saw Luna Lovegood emerging from the shadows. The other girl's long blonde hair hung loosely to her waist but was even more unkempt and straggly than usual. Luna wore a thick and billowy red flannel nightgown and her wand was poking out from behind her ear.

"Luna," Ginny whispered. "You woke me up."

Cocking her head to the side, Luna turned her disbelieving gaze on Ginny. "No, I didn’t." Ginny was about to refute her claim but Luna continued, "I was laying in my bed upstairs when the dreams woke me."

"Dreams?" Ginny asked with a quizzical look.

Luna stepped softly over to sit on the corner of Ginny's bed, making sure not disturb Ginny's broken ankle. "They are such funny things," Luna persisted. "Dreams, that is. Not only can they stir the dreamer but as well those who look and wake in dreams."

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Ginny whispered, "I'm not sure I follow you, Luna."

Gesturing towards Hermione, Luna kept her eyes on Ginny. "Look at the way she moves. It's of little doubt what is happening in her mind." A dreamy smile crept across her lips. "But as you were lying here, that wasn't really what you were thinking about, was it?"

"I…I," Ginny stammered. "I didn't notice, really. I was half-asleep."

"I thought you were asleep?" Luna asked, her tone deadpan. Turning back to look at Hermione's sleeping form, Luna spoke without waiting for an answer to her accusation. "Look at the way she rolls her hips." Looking over, Ginny could see Hermione moving about but she couldn't tell where her hips were exactly, let alone what they were doing. "She doesn't dream like you do."

"Like I do?"

"The one she dreams of is the same you had claimed to dream of to those who don't see as well as I do," Luna answered. Turning her eyes toward the ceiling, Luna expression turned thoughtful. "Boys don't seem to visit me in my dreams, either." Luna turned to look at Harry sleeping on the far side of the room. "Even those as famous and adorable as the one Hermione favors."

Ginny's mouth fell open as her heart seemed to rend in her chest. Could it be true? Could she have misjudged Hermione so badly? Did she have feelings for someone who would never return her affections? Thoughts spun furiously through her mind as she continued to stare at the sleeping Hermione. Slowly, she dragged her attention back to where Luna had been sitting.

"Luna?" she whispered to the empty space at the foot of her bed. Ginny turned just in time to see the tail of a flannel nightgown slip through the closing door of the Infirmary.

 

* * * *

 

The Weasleys had just returned to their home in the Burrow from Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and Harry, Hermione and Neville had made their way there as well. The Weasley family had spent most of their summer at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. However, due to recent events, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to realize that being in Sirius' old home would not be a good thing for Harry. Neville had spent a couple days at the Burrow before departing for his grandmother's to spend the little time remaining before the school year began with her.

The start of the new term at Hogwarts was only a few weeks away and everyone was getting ready for it. Mrs. Weasley was making regular trips to Diagon Alley looking for school supplies for all the kids. Mr. Weasley still spent much of his time at work but tried to be sure to be home as much as possible. Members of the Order of the Phoenix also dropped by from time to time with Tonks being sure to be around as much as she could manage.

The sun was just about to set outside and the house was busy as dinner was almost ready to be served. Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry sat in the living room chatting when there was a knock at the door. Tired of what she perceived to be constant flirting between Harry and her crush, Ginny tossed down her book and went to answer the door.

The door was opened to reveal a teenage girl dressed in muggle clothes. Her long, thin blonde hair hung to her waist and she wore a thin-framed pair of glasses over her protuberant eyes. "Hello, Ginny," Luna Lovegood greeted as she smoothed the front of her fluffy pale yellow and green sweater, then down over her gray wool skirt.

"Well, this is a surprise," Ginny returned with a smile as she held the door open. Ginny and Luna had become much better friends in the last few weeks of the school year after what they had gone through together against Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters. They had even spent a fair amount of time talking after she had been released from the Infirmary. "I thought you were off searching for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks with your father?"

"We just returned from Sweden, actually. We were there for two weeks." Luna stepped inside and the two girls made their way to the living room. "We'll likely go back the week before school starts," Luna added as she pulled off her glasses and tucked them into her pocket. Harry, Hermione and Ron stood up and greeted Luna before she continued. "Sadly, we didn't manage to catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. But I know we were close. When we return, I'm sure we will be able to track down the lair." Glancing around the room, she adopted a thoughtful expression.

The group of teenagers, except for Ginny, shifted uncomfortably. No one except for Looney herself seemed to believe that such creatures even existed. But, Harry, Hermione and Ron seemed unwilling to say anything that might provoke an impassioned defense of her beliefs. Mrs. Weasley calling that dinner was on the table saved them from the awkward silence that had followed Luna's pronouncement. "Luna, dear," Mrs. Weasley greeted her. "You must join us for dinner." Seeming to give her invitation serious consideration, Luna accepted with a nod and followed the group to the dinner table.

Taking a seat next to Ginny, Luna took a plate and allowed herself to be served as dinner-time chatter began to fill the air. Taking a bite of her food, Ginny turned her attention to Luna. "So, what brings you to the Burrow, Luna?"

Luna answered when she finished chewing her food. "My father," she began, "who as you know is the Editor of the Quibbler, is sending me out on an assignment to write my first article for the paper."

"That's great, Luna!" Ginny exclaimed with a wide smile. "Congratulations."

"Yes, Luna. That is wonderful," Harry and Hermione chimed in together while Ron nodded in agreement.

"What is your article going to be about?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"It appears that the Headless Horseman has reappeared and is terrorizing young witches at a summer camp sponsored by the Salem Witches' Institute," Luna answered. "It’s my job to find out exactly what is going on for our readers."

"The Salem Witches' Institute?" Ron asked, his eyes wide. "As in, _in_ the States?"

Luna nodded. A murmur of excitement began about the table. Hermione Granger frowned. Glancing between Ron, Ginny and Harry she said, "If any of you had read 'Magical Creatures and the Legends They Create' you would know that it is impossible for the Headless Horseman to have returned."

"How's that?" Harry asked.

Hermione sighed in frustration. "The Headless Horseman was just a boggart, albeit a very special one." Everyone at the table turned their attention to Hermione as she spoke. It was clear that no one had heard the details about this legend, even Mrs. Weasley. "The fear it was able to generate was so great that it was able to create a permanent form and the more people who heard the tale and were scared by it, the more powerful the creature became until it was able to actually scare people to death."

"That's impossible," Mrs. Weasley gasped.

"Not impossible," Hermione corrected in a superior tone. "Just exceedingly rare."

"That is the story I am familiar with as well," Luna confirmed "But clearly there are very deceitful forces at work here. Even if that story is true, and I must say I am quite skeptical, there is something different afoot now."

Ginny reached up to touch Luna's shoulder and leaned in a bit closer to her. "That's very exciting, Luna. Not only do you get to write an article for the Quibbler but you get to go to the United States as well."

Luna nodded. "Yes, it is exciting," Luna said, her tone conveying none of the excitement she allegedly felt. "Though, getting to the reason I came - I would very much like someone to come with me, to aid me." As she spoke, Luna directed her gaze in turn at each person seated at the table.

"Oh, Luna," Hermione began. "I'm honored you'd ask me to help you but I can't really be away from the Burrow for that long. Plus, I have so much to do to get ready for school this year. In fact, the reading for Arithmancy alone is more than…"

Luna's eyes narrowed as she looked back at Hermione. "I wasn't asking you, Hermoine," Luna said softly, interrupting the older girl. Turning her gaze to Ginny, she said, "I would like you to come with me."

"Oh," Hermione muttered as she looked down at her plate. Ginny clapped her hands excitedly while Mrs. Weasley bristled at the announcement. The kids at the table, except for Luna and Ginny, silently went back to their food.

"Oh, honey," Mrs. Weasley began as Ginny looked to her. "I'm not so sure that is a good idea."

"I bet that would be a lot of money," Hermione chimed in. "That is much too far to travel by the Floo Network and it isn't legal for either of you to apparate yet. Airfare would be exceedingly expensive, in muggle money…"

Ginny's mother was already nodding her agreement with Hermione.

"Please mum?" Ginny asked, her pitch of her voice much higher than normal. "I'm sure it will be fine. Besides, this is a great opportunity."

"If she is willing to help me," Luna added, "I would be honored to have her as coauthor of the article. The recognition of the Quibbler readership is no small thing.

Mrs. Weasley frowned; her children and their friends knew how little she thought of Luna's father's paper. "Plus, with You-Know-Who's Death Eaters about, there couldn't be any place that is further from them than the Salem Witches' Institute," Ginny added excitedly.

"It could still be dangerous," Ginny's mother countered. It was also unspoken, but understood by Ginny, that money was still a huge issue - one that was very likely to stand in the way of her going.

"Honestly Mrs. Weasley," Hermione chimed in. "It is highly unlikely it is anything more than a boggart who happened to show up after a recounting of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. One spell from either of them and the mystery will be solved."

"They can both banish a boggart," Ron added. "After all, they were both in Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

Still a little embarrassed about all the attention the class had garnered him, Harry mumbled, "It's true. They can both perform the _Riddikulus_ spell quite well."

Spearing a sausage with her fork, Mrs. Weasley shook her head, obviously somewhat irritated by the other children throwing in their two knuts. "I'm still not sure."

"My father has made sure that I have a contact there with the American witches. If anything dangerous happens, my father has made me promise to contact them and come home immediately," Luna said, in a serene tone. "He has also made travel arrangements for us and we are to meet up with an old friend of his who is a Professor there."

 _Well, seems like we managed to overcome the money issues,_ Ginny thought to herself. _For once that isn't going to stop one of us,_ she added to herself bitterly since money always seemed to be a problem for her family.

Before she could comment any further, Arthur Weasley emerged from the floo. "Kids, please clean up the table while I talk to Mr. Weasley," she said standing up and moving to meet her husband outside of the kitchen.

They began to clean up in silence, hoping to hear the conversation from the other room. After several minutes of trying, they gave up since they were unable to make anything out. Ron came up to Ginny after dumping a few dishes in the sink. "Well, we tried, sis," he began, clapping her lightly on the back. "Hopefully, you'll get to go. I know I'd want you to help me make my case if I had the chance to do something like that."

Ginny's heart was pounding in her chest as she waited for her mother to come back. She desperately wanted to go with Luna. Not only would it likely be an exciting adventure, it would also give her a chance to get away from Harry and Hermione and their nearly constant flirting. Besides, she had always liked Luna - even before they had grown closer, bonding over what had happened in the Department of Mysteries and during the DA meetings. It would be fun to spend more time with her.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen, asked Ginny and Luna to sit at the table and sent the rest of the children out of the room. After everyone was seated, Mr. Weasley asked Luna to quickly explain to him what she was asking Ginny to help her with. He then asked a series of questions about the specific arrangements made with the Salem Witches' Institute. When Luna had finished, the two parents sat in contemplative silence for a moment before Mr. Weasley spoke. "I think it's a great opportunity for Ginny to go with you," he began as he looked at his daughter. "Your mother doesn't exactly agree with me, so you’re going to need to promise to be very careful and if there is any danger, you tell the authorities and come home immediately. Understand?"

Ginny jumped up and hugged her father tightly, then ran over to her mother and did the same. "I promise! I promise!"

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Luna said, with a gentle nod of her head. "I'll be sure no harm comes to Ginny while we are away."

"Wonderful," Mr. Weasley nodded. "There is only one condition I have." Ginny held her breath fearing the severity of the request. "Be sure to bring me back a Boston Red Sox's hat. I really need one for my muggle sports collectibles collection."

Ginny laughed. "I'll remember. I swear by Merlin's wand," she said, moving her hand so her open palm faced down in front of her chest.

"Now Ginny, why don't you go pack while we talk to Luna about how you'll be getting there and the rest of the arrangements?" Mr. Weasley suggested. Ginny nodded excitedly and shot Luna one last grin before running upstairs.

Luna explained to the Weasleys that there was portkey outside of London at a place called the Witching Tree that would carry them to Salem Massachusetts. However, they would need to travel before midnight because the portkey was only active a few hours a week. Luna had explained that she had intended to come to speak to them earlier, but her return from Sweden had been delayed. Ginny's parents seemed to accept this and within an hour they were flying on their brooms to deliver the two girls to the portkey and see them off to the United States.

 

* * * *

 

Ginny felt the familiar sensation of being tugged through a tunnel of light by a rope attached to her bellybutton. A moment later, still rather disoriented, Ginny felt a hand rest on her arm as she stood in a dark chamber that smelled of damp rock, soil and mold. She felt herself holding onto a smooth rimmed bowl of some type.

Stumbling a few steps forward, she reached down and felt a dusty handrail just as a door above them opened and candlelight flooded into the room. At the top of the stairs stood what looked like the caricature of a witch. She had long gray hair hanging from beneath her pointed hat and wore long black robes that hung off her shoulders and bulged out slightly at her round middle. The witch appeared to be at least ninety years old and carried a candlestick holder in her right hand and a staff in her left. "Well, don't just stand down there. Come on," she called.

Pointing her staff towards Ginny's trunk that was lying on the ground, the Witch spoke in a strong tone, _"Mobilarbus."_ The trunk rose into the air and began to float up the stairs, and when it had floated out of sight the witch did the same for Luna's trunk.

"Thank you very much," Ginny said as she and Luna made their way up the stairs and out of the basement. Luna nodded and smiled placidly behind her.

"You are welcome, young witch," the crone answered. "Now come along. I would like to get you to the camp as soon as possible." As they were led out of the house, the two girls found the sun would be setting in a couple of hours. Glancing about, they saw a wax museum, a pirate museum and an ancient cemetery that still had tourists wandering through it.

“The tourists are gearing up for Halloween here in Salem,” the witch pointed out as she guided them to a nearby minivan. “You wouldn’t believe how many people flood the streets every year.”

The girls chuckled, already slightly overwhelmed by the idea they were thousands of miles from their homes and in a different country at that. Their eyes were constantly scanning their surroundings as the van pulled away from its parking space and began to weave through the old city. “I am Professor Harnst,” the older witch began.

"I'm Ginny Weasley." With a quick and genuine smile, she added, "It's very nice to meet you."

"And you must be Luna," the professor stated as she looked to the young blonde witch. "You are the spitting imagine of your mother, my dear."

Smiling serenely, Luna nodded shallowly. "My father has spoken very highly of you. Thank you for having us."

“It will take us a few hours to get to the camp. So, sit back. Relax. And why don’t you tell me a little about life at Hogwarts?”

Ginny spent the rest of the car ride entertaining Professor Harnst’s questions while Luna sat back, her eyes half open, occasionally humming 'Weasley is Our King' and taking in the speed-blurred scenery. Much to Ginny’s disappointment, they were bumping along down a dirt road that led to the camp in western Massachusetts by the time the Professor had run out of questions leaving no time for the questions about America or The Salem Witches' Institute that she had wanted to ask.

Pulling into an empty parking lot, the van stopped in a patch of weeds that came nearly up to Ginny’s chest. Instructing each of the girls to carry their trunks, the Professor led them down an overgrown trail towards a dilapidated camp at the bottom of the hill. The sun had set quite some time before and in the deepening darkness Ginny and Luna saw shadows of a group of crumbling cabins lining a large overgrown field with what appeared to have been a road running in front of them.

“This really wasn’t what I imagined,” Luna leaned over to whisper in Ginny’s ear. Nodding in agreement, Ginny smirked silently as they continued to follow. When they had reached the bottom of the hill, the American Professor stopped. Reaching into a pouch hidden in her robes, she pulled out a pinch of yellow dust and sprinkled some over Ginny’s head. She repeated the motion over Luna before pulling out her wand. _“Revealio,”_ she said as she tapped her wand on first Ginny’s then Luna’s head.

Around them, the shabby scene seemed to melt away revealing beautiful log cabins like those Luna and Ginny had read about in history books. The structures could have been magically transported through time from the era of the Colonial Revolt. Lamps that cast a soft white glow hung by each door and the very ground appeared now to be well kept with some of the trees being manicured to resemble various mythical beasts.

“Maybe this is closer to what you imagined,” Ginny whispered with a more sincere smile. Luna nodded in agreement as her wide eyes took in their surroundings. The professor wordlessly led them over to a small cabin at the edge of the surrounding woods.

“This cabin will serve as your quarters while you are with us, Miss Lovegood and Miss Weasley,” Professor Harnst informed them as she held open the door. “I’ll arrange for the first group of interviews with campers who have witnessed the phenomenon to be scheduled after breakfast in the morning. Any further interviews or investigation you wish to pursue can be arranged afterwards. I will be acting as your liaison with our camp and school during your time here. If there is anything you require, please let me know.”

“Thank you,” Luna said, not seeming to be particularly impressed by her offer as she continued to look around taking in the scene. The professor offered a last smile and a nod to both of them before heading off down the road.

Ginny carried in her trunk and put it down just inside the door. _“Incendio,”_ she said after she had pulled out her wand and directed it the small lamp inside. A small jet of flame shot from the wand, lighting the wick. “Well, that was very nice of her,” Ginny observed as she looked about the cabin. There were two beds next to each other against the far wall and she moved over to place her trunk on the one closest to the door.

“You’ll find that there is a lot of prestige that comes with an association to the Quibbler,” Luna answered her. “I'm sure you will get used to it.” After they had both stored their things, the two girls took turns in the small bathroom and changed into their nightshirts.

They extinguished the lights and climbed into bed. “Goodnight, Luna,” Ginny called to her.

There was a long pause before Luna spoke. “May the one whom you want most to visit, see you in your dreams.”

Somewhat taken aback by the serious tone and odd nature of Luna’s comment, Ginny didn’t respond. She dwelled on her friend’s words for quite sometime before she decided to speak. Ginny opened her mouth, but the words died on her lips as she heard the deep and steady breathing from the bed beside her. Luna had already fallen asleep.


	2. The Investigation

The next morning the two British Witches awoke to the sounds of bustling children as the camp’s other occupants gathered in their groups, known as Covens, to get ready to head to the mess hall for breakfast. Ginny and Luna took turns washing up and then donned their Hogwart’s robes and house scarves over light camp T-shirts and shorts before joining the children for breakfast.

Soon they were seated and partaking of the generous assortment of foods arrayed at the councilor’s table where they had been invited to sit. Ginny speared a waffle with her fork as Luna pulled something out from beneath her robe. Her brow crinkled in confusion as she observed Luna withdraw a stuffed animal in the form of a black cat that was almost a third of a meter long.

Noting her companion’s confused expression, Luna smiled at Ginny. “It's to ease the children in case they're nervous during the interviews. Everyone knows American Witches prefer black cats to every other familiar two hundred and thirty seven to one.”

“They do? I thought that was just a myth?”

Luna explained patiently, “Well if you had read the May issue of the Quibbler you would know it is not, since there was an expansive article on Wizards and the Animals Who Share Their Lives.”

Ginny chuckled and shook her head. “Yes, how silly of me. I’ll be sure to find the issue first thing when we get back to the Burrow.”

Luna just nodded; clearly the sarcasm was lost on her. Thinking back, Ginny actually remembered seeing that story but she usually only did the quizzes and puzzles in the Quibbler and almost never read the articles.

When breakfast was finished, Professor Harnst stood and clapped her hands together three times. The loud voices of the campers died away and they turned their attention toward the head table. “Today we have two special visitors from Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please give a warm welcome to Ginevra Weasley of House Gryffindor and Luna Lovegood of House Ravenclaw.”

They two teenagers were met with a round of applause as they stood. Ginny smiled brightly in acknowledgment but Luna continued to wear her perpetual glassy-eyed expression. Both were now sweating slightly in their robes and woolen scarves. Neither girl had any notion of the heat and humidity experienced during a New England summer and, though it was still early, dressed as they were they were already feeling it.

After they had again taken their seats, Professor Harnst continued, “Today’s activities will proceed as scheduled but a few of you may be called out through the course of the day to speak with our guests.” There was a bit of whispering as the crone paused. “That is all. Coven Leaders, proceed to your first activity.”

The children and older councilors had formed lines and were proceeding out into the camp when the Professor turned back to Ginny and Luna. “We will leave this table set up,” she began as the other elder witches pulled out their wands and began cleaning off the tables. “Your first interview should be here in less than half an hour.”

Only the table they were sitting at with three chairs surrounding it remained set up in the large room when a young boy tentatively stuck his blonde head past the door. Ginny stood up and flashed him a genuine smile as Luna sat with her hands folded on the table in front of her. “It’s okay, come on in and sit down,” Ginny called to him.

Slowly, he made his way over to join them at the table. As he crossed the room, Luna took the pair of spectacles she had been wearing briefly when she had arrived at the Burrow from her robes and slid them over her ears to rest high on her nose. It was then Ginny noticed that Luna’s wand was actually tucked into her belt and not behind her ear where she normally kept it. As she observed Luna, it occurred to her that this was only the second time she had ever seen Luna wear glasses.

Finally settling into the vacant chair, the boy sat staring silently at the stuffed toy cat on the table. “You may hold him, if you wish,” Luna said in a low, even tone. Tentatively, the boy reached for the cat and took it into his arms. “His name is ‘Fraidy,” Luna added as Ginny giggled at the cute name.

Luna waited until the boy appeared to relax a bit, playing with the toy, making it walk across his lap and leap onto the table, before asking, “Do you know why you have been asked to meet with us?” When he shook his head, she explained. “We were told that you saw something when you first arrived at camp.” The young wizard looked at the floor.

Ginny seemed to sense the boy’s apprehension and quickly jumped in. “I’m sure it was very scary for you. But, if you can tell us what happened we might be able to help to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

He seemed to consider this for a moment and then proceeded to give the two girls a detailed account of what had happened. From his tale, it appeared he had been separated from his coven just as the sun was setting. He found himself alone and unable to find his way back to camp, and getting more and more frightened as each minute passed. Soon, he heard the heavy clacking footsteps of a horse cantering along at full gallop along with its heavy breathing. Eventually, the horse came into view bearing a rider in ancient armor carrying a broadsword. In the last moment before the boy had turned and run with every ounce of strength, he saw the rider had no head.

Over the next several hours, Ginny and Luna met with sixteen campers. All had told similar tales and any differences in their stories were minor details at most. They realized as the last person left that all of the campers that had been attacked were between the ages of ten and thirteen with the exception of one girl who was a junior Coven Leader and had just turned sixteen.

The last camper was walking out the door with Luna watching him go when Ginny turned to speak. “Well, we did manage to find out a lot.”

“He was lying,” Luna said with conviction as the door closed behind the last boy they had interviewed, ten year old, Thomas White.

“What?” Ginny asked, not even sure she had heard her correctly. “Why do you think that?”

“Not, think, know,” Luna answered as she tapped the pocket she had slid her glasses into after having taken them off a moment before. “It’s wasn’t about the sighting itself, more about his version of the details. Not to worry though, I don’t think it was anything important,” she added as she rubbed her eyes.

Ginny considered inquiring further but was interrupted as councilors and campers came back into the dining hall for the evening meal. Ginny looked at her watch unable to believe they had been doing interviews all day. They had even missed lunch; they must have had a picnic for the campers since no one had come into this building at midday. Ginny’s now rumbling tummy was thankful she hadn’t given any thought to food until that very moment.

After dinner Ginny and Luna went back to their cabin to review the information they had gathered during their interviews. As they discussed the matter, another important conclusion was drawn - no camper had been hurt by the ‘Headless Horseman’. One boy had sprained his ankle but that was a result of the chase and not from any direct action of the pursuer.

After they reviewed the information for a few hours, Luna began to methodically pack her notes away and started to place some clothes and camping supplies into a small knapsack. Next she grabbed a small tent from under her bunk and rolled up her sleeping bag.

“What are you doing?” Ginny asked with her eyebrow cocked slightly.

“Simple, my dear assistant. We are going into the woods to find the ‘Headless Horseman’ so we can finish our article,” Luna answered serenely.

“Are you daft?” Ginny asked, her voice a little louder than she wished. Lowering her tone, she continued, “We can’t just go out into the woods alone. I don’t think Professor Harnst would care too much for that idea.”

Luna shrugged. “They’re simply aiding our investigation. We don’t need their permission to leave the camp’s grounds. We can continue our research as we see fit.”

Considering for a long moment, Ginny absently rubbed her chin. It was highly unlikely that either her parents or Luna’s father would agree with that statement if they discovered the two of them had left the camp, alone, in the middle of the night to continue the investigation. She could feel Luna’s gaze on her as she continued to think. Finally, she agreed a bit reluctantly, “It wouldn’t be much of an adventure if we stayed here, would it?”

Reaching out to take one of Ginny’s fiery locks between her fingers, Luna ran it gently between her thumb and finger. “I hoped you would say that.”

Not certain how to interpret Luna’s rather intimate gesture, Ginny ignored the fluttering in her stomach and turned her attention to packing the items she would need for their excursion.

 

* * * *

 

Several hours later, Ginny and Luna finally admitted to themselves that they weren’t going to see any sign of their quarry and decided to find a place to set up camp. It was already well past midnight and the two girls decided to forego the traditional campfire and instead simply crawled into their tent.

They zipped it closed and quickly changed into their nightshirts before extinguishing their wands and snuggling into their sleeping bags. Soon Ginny could hear Luna’s even breathing and could tell she was fast asleep. Ginny yawned widely and very shortly joined her friend in the land of dreams.

Ginny had no idea how much time had passed but it was still dark outside the tent when she was awakened by the sound of someone stirring beside her. Raising her head, she saw Luna tossing fitfully. “Luna?” Ginny whispered tentatively. When she didn’t answer, Ginny asked a little louder, “Luna? Luna, are you okay?”

With a sharp intake of breath, Luna jerked to the side, almost as if trying to avoid someone’s grasp. Ginny sat up and watched her for a few moments, not sure what she should do. Ginny didn’t want to scare her even more but it was clear she was having a nightmare and it would likely be best to wake her from it. Slowly she reached out a hand across the space separating their sleeping bags and rested it lightly on Luna’s shoulder hidden beneath the satin and flannel of her makeshift bed. Immediately the witch's uneasy shifting dwindled to nothing. Her eyelids fluttered open lazily before her gray eyes focused on Ginny. She was about to speak when Luna soundlessly raised a finger to her lips.

Ginny obeyed the silent request, not speaking as she continued to meet Luna's gaze. From inside her sleeping bag, Luna's arm slowly snaked out and reached up towards Ginny's face. Touching her friend’s chin gently, Luna guided Ginny to lie back down facing her. Pushing the sleeping bags down between them, she wrapped her arms around Ginny's neck nuzzling her face against the soft skin and tangling her fingers in her hair.

Ginny shivered slightly as she felt Luna's warm breath tickle her neck before her lips brushed her ear. "I knew you'd keep me safe," she heard Luna whisper. "Leave it to a Gryffindor's bravery to drive away even the menace of a nightmare."

Demurely, Luna pulled back to look Ginny squarely in the eye. Managing the best courtly bow of her head possible in their cramped quarters, Luna then placed a dainty kiss upon Ginny's freckled cheek. "My hero," she said in a hushed tone before resting her head back on Ginny's shoulder and drifting off to sleep.

Amazed at Luna’s actions and the tempest of thoughts and feelings they created in her, Ginny spent several long moments rehashing what had just occurred. Her heart was beating quickly and her stomach had a nervous and excited flutter. As she lay reflecting, she realized that the feel of Luna’s body close to hers only heightened the sensation.

Ginny laid awake with Luna nuzzled against her for a long while as the thoughts in her head continued to whirl. Her feelings and thoughts seemed unable to manifest themselves into coherent ideas. Finally her eyes began to droop and, with a contented smile, she rested her cheek atop Luna’s head. Inhaling the sweet scent of her friend's hair, she gradually drifted back off to sleep.

By the time Ginny awoke, she couldn’t tell what time of day it was. The sun was low in the sky and the tent was dark as she stretched. Luna was no longer wrapped around her or even in her sleeping bag on the other side of the small tent. From outside she heard the snapping and cracking of a fire burning a few meters away and could even smell a hint of smoke. Still slightly groggy, she got up and threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt before sliding her trainers onto her feet.

Emerging from the tent, she saw Luna leaning over the fire slowly stirring her cauldron. "I couldn't have imagined before I had the grace of meeting you, anyone who could sleep so long in a single night,” Luna said without even looking away from her cauldron.

Ginny yawned and stretched after she had emerged. Not sure of how to respond to Luna, Ginny instead sniffed at the air. The smell of cinnamon filled her senses. “That smells really good,” she muttered as she made her way to stand beside Luna.

“Oatmeal with fresh cinnamon,” Luna said softly. “I’ve seen you eat a big bowl of it almost every morning at school. So I thought it’d be a great breakfast for our first morning on our own even though it’s actually almost time for dinner.”

For a moment, Ginny wondered how Luna could know what she ate for breakfast. If Luna were a member of Gryffindor House and sat with her in the mornings, it would make sense that she might have noticed something like that. How had she noticed all the way from the Ravenclaw table?

“Here you go,” Luna said, drawing Ginny away from her thoughts. Taking the bowl Luna offered her, Ginny moved to sit on a rock near the fire. Luna spooned a bowl for herself and moved to sit upon the large rock as well, sitting so close their hips touched.

The fire snapped and crackled as the two girls began to eat in silence, the clacking of their spoons against their bowls the only other noise accenting the sounds of nature all around them. Relishing the taste of her breakfast, if one could call it that so late in the day, Ginny couldn’t help but reflect on how considerate it was for Luna to plan like this for their first "morning" out in the wilderness.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny watched Luna as she ate. The slow movements of her mouth, the softness of her lips, the endearing way the stray lock of hair hung down by her temple. She leaned in a little to the side, bringing her closer to Luna as her eyes closed just a bit.

“And again of waking dreams…” Ginny heard Luna mutter in an airy tone that caused her eyes to snap open. She raised her chin slightly to see Luna smiling at her. Her eyes lacked their normally vacant stare and instead they seemed afire.

Ginny suddenly found her bowl of oatmeal much more interesting and stared fixedly at it before taking several quick spoonfuls. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Luna regarding her for a few moments. Then, with a shrug, Luna turned her attention back to her own food and finished eating.

The sun had dropped even lower in the sky by the time they had finished cleaning up their camp and getting dressed. They sat in companionable silence until the sound of nocturnal animals and the buzz of mosquitoes joined the occasional pops and cracks of their dwindling fire.

Finally, Ginny saw Luna gathering up a notebook and backpack. Assuming that Luna had decided now would be a good time for them to head out and continue their investigation, Ginny equipped herself with a backpack of useful items for the woods and was fully prepared when she slung it over her shoulder and tucked her wand into her belt.

She offered Luna a grin as they departed the camp. Smiling softly, Luna took her hand and held it as they walked down the trail. Feeling the soft pressure of Luna’s hand against hers, Ginny found the sensation very comforting. Ginny lost track of the time and it was fully dark when Luna finally withdrew her hand and stopped to pull a map from her pack.

Wanting to be helpful, Ginny withdrew her wand. _“Lumos,”_ she said as she flicked her wand and a faint ball of light appeared at the end of it. Luna smiled up at her as she unfolded the map and began to examine it. For several minutes, the two girls tried to figure out exactly where they were on the trail system that ran around the Salem Witches’ camp.

A scream pierced the air and Luna and Ginny both jumped in surprise. The wand slipped from between Ginny’s fingers and fell to the ground causing the darkness to swell in from around them. Their hearts raced and their breathing quickened as Ginny picked up her wand before being taken by the wrist and pulled into a nearby bush.

A few moments passed before Ginny illuminated the space around them and whispered to Luna, “What was that?”

As she stared off through the bushes with a vacant expression, Luna answered, “A scream, I would presume.”

Annoyance, mostly caused by her fear, welled up in Ginny. “Clearly,” she began in a harsher whisper. “Who did it belong to? Where did it come from? Why was the person…”

Another scream echoed through the woods cutting off her question. This time it was far closer than the last. Ginny and Luna both readied their wands. The tips of each bobbed in trembling hands as the teenage witches peered out from their hiding place.

Ginny had begun to slowly stand when she felt Luna’s hand gently rest on her forearm. She looked down to see Luna’s slate-gray eyes reflecting in the dim light of the moon. “It’s okay,” Ginny began. “We need to go to help whoever that is.”

Luna stood up and continued to meet Ginny’s gaze. “I know, my brave Gryffindor. I would expect nothing less from you.” Reaching into one of her pockets, Luna pulled out a small powder blue silk scarf. Gently, she tied it just above the elbow of the arm Ginny used to wield her wand. “It’s just unfitting for a warrior to do battle without a symbol of luck from the one she is defending.” Leaning in, she gently placed a soft kiss upon Ginny’s cheek.

Feeling as if her knees might give out in weakness, Ginny blushed and turned away from Luna. She cleared her throat before making her way back out of the bushes and onto the trail. Once Luna had joined her, they quickened their pace until they were running in the direction of the scream.

They emerged into a small clearing and as they skidded to a halt Ginny’s heart seemed to lodge in her throat. Off to their left, a small girl in a T-shirt and camp shorts was curled up in a quivering ball. Hearing the huff of a large animal and the scrape of hooves, their eyes slowly swept across the field until their gazes came to rest on a large black horse. Its feet kicked restlessly at the dirt beneath it and steam seemed to blow from its nostrils with each breath.

Continuing to look upward, they saw a rider sitting on a large saddle upon the beast. Clad in platemail that clacked against itself and the saddle, a gauntleted hand held a sinister looking broadsword. The scene before them could have been out of a piece of fantasy art, except that when they looked to see the rider’s face, no head rested upon armored shoulders.

Looking at each other in shock and disbelief, Ginny and Luna stared at each other for a moment before ear-splitting screams emerged from them simultaneously. They split off and fled towards the bushes again as the Headless Horseman turned his attention towards them.

The horse reared up and began to charge towards Luna, spraying dirt and clumps of grass as it went. Luna's face grew almost peaceful as she pulled her wand out and turned to face the horse that galloped toward her. The Headless Horseman raised his sword as he tugged back on the reins making the horse rear up before continuing on its path.

Fear loosened Luna's grasp on her wand and it slipped from her hand as she stared up at the horse and rider towering over her. Ginny looked on in horror. Obviously assuming easy prey, the Headless Horseman guided his horse a few steps closer as he aimed the tip of his blade at Luna.

Shifting her feet to plant them firmly beneath her, Ginny Weasley raised her arm and pointed her wand at the Headless Horseman. As she looked down the length of her wand, Ginny caught sight of the blue scarf flapping lazily in the summer breeze. _“Riddikulus!”_ Ginny shouted, her voice echoing through the still night.

Beginning as a blue spark at the tip of her wand, the ball of energy grew to the size of a cricket ball by the time it reached the Headless Horseman. The icy-silver blast slammed into the chest of the headless rider. Expecting him to transform into a boggart's true form and float away as a ball of light and gas, Ginny smiled in triumph. That smile quickly faded as the energy of her spell washed harmlessly over the Headless Horseman.

The armor-covered body turned, causing the horse's path to carry them past Luna until they were facing Ginny, who was boldly standing with her wand still pointed at them. With a kick of the Headless Horseman’s heels against its flank, the horse shot forward. The gauntleted hand held the sword aloft and Ginny barely had time to duck before she felt the rush of air as the blade passed by her head.

Falling onto her stomach and elbows, Ginny saw a lock of her hair float down to rest on her hand. Quickly standing, she fought to regain her wits. _It’s only trying to scare you,_ she tried to reassure herself. _Boggarts don’t hurt people._ Still, she was amazed that her spell didn’t work. _Well, stop thinking about it, and do it right this time,_ she admonished herself as she brought her wand back up.

Luna slowly bent at the knees and retrieved her wand as the horse reached the opposite end of the clearing, quickly spun around to face her and began to charge. Luna’s eyes widened as she saw the Headless Horseman and his mount bearing down on her. “Luna!” Ginny called to her. “Get down!”

As the Horseman came within reach, the broadsword came down in an arc at Luna’s wand. Her eyes widening in horror, she swung her body to the right and brought up her left arm to shield the wand. The arc of the blade changed slightly away from Luna but connected with her left arm nonetheless.

A thin mist of blood accompanied Luna’s short journey to the ground where she curled up in a ball, seemingly protecting her wand. Ginny ran a few steps forward, her resolve strengthened by the fact that Luna could be seriously injured or worse. _“Riddikulus!”_ Ginny shouted again but with the same affect as before.

Even though he seemed unaffected by the spell, this time the Headless Horseman stopped his horse. If he had had a face upon which to read an expression, confusion and utter shock is what Ginny believed she would have seen. Panting heavily, she stood and watched as the armored figure seemed to study Luna’s injured form lying upon the ground. Abruptly, the figure straightened in his saddle. Kicking his heels, he drove the horse out of the clearing and a moment later the heavy hoof-falls could no longer be heard.

Tentative footsteps came up from behind Ginny causing her to spin around and raise her wand. The little girl, who was obviously the Horseman's original target, screeched and started to run away. Responding very quickly, all things considered, Ginny took a few quick steps and reached out to grab onto the child’s shoulder. “There, there,” she began. “I’m sorry. He’s gone now. It’s safe.”

Sobbing heavily, the little girl whirled and threw her arms around Ginny’s waist. Absently, Ginny ran her hand over the little girl’s hair as she looked around for Luna. She found her again, still lying in a ball on the ground. In an instant, fear gripped her heart in its icy grasp. Gently taking the young camper by the shoulders, Ginny knelt before the girl who drew away from her slightly.

“You have to listen very carefully, do you understand?” Wide-eyed, the camper nodded. “You need to follow this trail back to the camp. You can cast a light spell, right?” Again the camper nodded as she slowly pulled her wand from her back pocket.

“Good,” Ginny continued. “Make sure you stay on the trail and get back to camp as fast as you can. But only walk, don’t run. You wouldn’t want to trip and fall, would you?”

“No,” the little girl whispered, fear still causing her voice to tremble.

Ginny stood as she let go of the girl’s shoulders. “Good - now go.” The little girl had barely begun to walk down the trail when Ginny ran over and skidded on her knees next to Luna. Reaching over to rest her hand on her friend’s back, Ginny could feel Luna trembling.

“Luna?” Ginny asked, her voice conveying the fear she felt for her friend. “Are you alright?”

"He almost…he almost…" she stuttered, still curled up on the ground.

Unsure of what to do, Ginny gently rubbed her back. Still fearing her friend was injured, she looked her over quickly and saw the left sleeve of her robe was drenched. Unable to see any further as Luna's hands were hidden beneath her body, Ginny rested a hand on Luna's right shoulder. "Luna, you're hurt. I need to see."

Shaking her head emphatically, "No," Luna said, her tone hard and unwavering. "I can't. He almost…"

Knowing she needed to see how seriously injured Luna was, Ginny laid her hand on Luna's forearm and pulled gently to urge her to expose the wounded arm. At first, Luna increased her resistance, holding her form still, protecting the wand she had curled up around. But Ginny persisted and a few moments later Luna allowed her arm to be moved.

Blood coated Luna's hand and a few drops fell to the ground from her fingers while the fingers of the other hand gripping her wand were white from the pressure. Turning her head, Luna stared at her wand, looking over every inch of it in the dim moonlight. "The Horseman," Luna began slowly as she blinked rapidly. "He…he nearly broke my mother's wand."

Ginny peered down at her, ignoring her arm for a moment. She considered asking Luna more about her comment but decided her friend's injured arm required more immediate attention. Sliding back the sticky fabric, Ginny looked down at Luna's arm. She sighed a bit in relief as she realized that it didn't look nearly as bad as she had feared.

"It looks like your arm is going to be fine but I'd really like to look at it again when we get back to the camp," Ginny said, helping Luna stand. Thinking she needed something to cover the wound with, Ginny looked down at the scarf Luna had tied there earlier and reached with her fingers to untie it.

"No," Luna said softly, her eyes seeming to regain some of the softness that were their norm. With her uninjured arm, she reached for the part of her robe the Headless Horseman had sundered with his sword. She winced slightly as she tore off the bottom half of the sleeve before handing it to Ginny. Gently, Ginny tied the fabric over the wound and secured it snuggly before she helped Luna to her feet and started them towards the nearby trail that led back in the direction of the campsite.


	3. Knight and Lady

"That looks much better," Ginny commented, her smile visible in the soft glow of the lantern within their tent. It hadn't taken her long to clean the wound and apply a proper dressing to it after they had returned. Ginny learned the wound was a bit deep and bled a fair amount. But it was nothing that a few spells her mother had taught her and some bandages couldn't fix up perfectly. Not surprisingly, Luna was rather withdrawn as they settled into the tent. As shaken up as Ginny had been by the encounter with the Headless Horseman, she could only imagine that Luna felt even worse.

Taking a few moments to consider her options, Ginny eventually decided that it would be best to let Luna speak in her own time. Over the next hour, Ginny repacked her bag, put away her first aid kit and climbed into her sleeping bag to change. After she had slid out of her T-shirt and shorts and into her thin sleep-shirt, Ginny turned to lie on her side, propped herself up on her elbow and directed her attention to where Luna was sitting on the other side of the tent. Ginny struggled to find the right words to express her feelings, but immediately dismissed each thought almost as soon as it formed. She just couldn’t come up with anything appropriate to say -- nothing funny, nothing insightful, nothing caring, nothing at all.

“You’re thinking rather loudly over there,” Luna said, her voice barely above a whisper. She was still sitting on her sleeping bag, her legs drawn up so her arms were hugging them and her mother’s wand was still gripped tightly in her right hand.

Ginny smiled weakly before blushing and looking down. “Sorry about that.”

Letting her head dip to the side slightly as she turned, Luna’s expression remained unreadable. “What were you thinking about?”

Even as she spoke the words, Ginny couldn’t believe she was letting them slip. “I was thinking about you,” she said before quickly adding, “I was worried, that’s all. You know, about today?”

Luna nodded, her features softening. “The knight always worries about the damsel. Fear not, dear knight, for I am in danger no longer.”

Unable to hold it back, Ginny giggled. “Well, that’s good to hear, M’lady,” she responded, playing along. “It was my honor to stand at your side.”

With her empty hand, Luna reached out and gently picked up the scarf she had tied to Ginny’s arm earlier that was now sitting atop her neatly folded robes at the head of her sleeping bag. “I knew I had chosen the proper champion,” she said as she moved it slowly through the air in front of her.

Bowing her head slightly, Ginny’s smile widened as Luna reached out and gently touched the favor to her friend’s cheek. “I want you to know, I couldn’t have done it without you.” Luna’s eyes widened a bit and glazed over. “I’d hate to think what would’ve happened had you not agreed to come with me.” Not waiting for a response, Luna released her knees and crawled over to lie beside Ginny. Wrapping her arms tightly around Ginny and resting her chin on her shoulder, Luna held on and crushed their bodies together.

Shifting her weight off her elbow, Ginny moved them both to rest on the ground and embraced Luna. At first, she simply relished the sensation. But as they lay there, Ginny’s heart began to beat faster and nervous anticipation seeped into her. Why was she reacting this way?

Luna remained in her embrace, seeming perfectly content as Ginny wrestled with her thoughts and feelings. _There’s no denying it,_ she thought to herself. _You know you’re attracted to her. You like her and it isn’t just because she’s your friend._ As she continued to contemplate, she replayed some of her interactions with Luna. If she acted on her attraction, would she be just getting herself into another version of her situation with Hermione? There were some things that made Ginny believe Luna was interested in her as more than a friend but there were others that made her doubt it. For all her courtly manners and physical affection, Luna had done nothing overt and though she had kissed Ginny several times on the cheek, maybe she was reading more into a simple expression of friendship than was actually there. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it.

Luna pulled her face back from Ginny’s shoulder and met her gaze. “You were thinking loudly again. At first I thought to not interrupt you this time but, with you sighing in my ear, I can’t help interrupting now.”

“I’m sorry,” Ginny began. “It’s just…well, there has been a lot going on these last few days.”

Luna nodded. “Yes.” Gesturing in the direction of her wounded forearm, she added, “I can empathize with you there.”

If her arms hadn’t been wrapped around Luna, she wouldn’t have been able to keep from slapping herself in the forehead. _How could I have been so dumb?_ she asked herself. _It’s all this danger and the excitement of being in America. Luna’s concerns are with her assignment. It’s not about you, Ginevra Molly Weasley._

Shaking her head slightly, Ginny decided to move on to a safer topic and made an observation about the Headless Horseman she had considered as they were making their way back to the camp. “There's no way that could actually be a boggart, is there?”

Luna’s right eyebrow rose slightly higher than its partner as she regarded Ginny. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, it is mostly a feeling except for one thing,” Ginny began. “I’ve never heard or even read of one instance where a boggart was actually able to harm someone.” She paused briefly. "Well, except for the one who we know scared people to death, that is," she quickly added.

Luna regarded her for a long moment. “Research and knowledge is the domain of House Ravenclaw,” she said finally, her voice only betraying the smallest hint of humor. “I’d tell you that you were right but I wouldn’t want you to think the Sorting Hat chose wrong in your case.”

Both girls laughed. Starting slowly at first, they laughed louder and louder until they both had tears in their eyes and the tension of the day slowly began to drain away. “Don’t worry, one flash of insight doesn’t mean I think I'm Ravenclaw material,” Ginny retorted with a chuckle.

“Good,” Luna responded. “I still expect we'll need the courage of a Gryffindor before this assignment is over.”

Unwrapping herself from Ginny, Luna moved over to her own sleeping bag. She smiled once more at Ginny and the expression took Ginny aback for a moment. In her memory, she had never before seen Luna smile with such genuine happiness or as beautifully.

Without another word, the two girls snuggled into their sleeping bags, the strain of the day's events allowing fatigue to quickly overtake them and guide them off to sleep.

 

* * * *

 

The next two days passed without any further information being uncovered by the two witches. They wandered the woods surrounding the camp looking for anything that might provide a clue as they discussed theories about what type of creature the Headless Horseman was, for they both agreed the creature was definitely not a boggart.

Early on the third evening, Luna and Ginny were just about to leave their camp to continue their hunt for clues when they heard the sounds of someone or something rustling through the bushes. They paused their discussion to listen and recognized the sound of a galloping horse as well, quickly realizing that the sound was getting closer.

Readying their wands, Luna and Ginny looked to each other for reassurance before running toward a nearby clump of bushes to hide. Almost immediately the galloping stopped and they could barely hear the horse’s hooves at all. They caught the faint echo of another sound, one that sounded more like it might have even been made by a person. Then the sound faded entirely and the two teenage witches were left with only the hum of the forest’s birds and insects filling their ears.

Slowly, Luna rose from her crouch and looked over at Ginny. Wordlessly, she went to where they had laid their packs and robes and began to gather her things. Ginny quickly followed suit and began to don her robe and pack. But before she slid the straps of her pack over her shoulders, she retrieved the blue scarf Luna had given her and tied it about her right arm, just above the elbow. When Ginny had everything in place, she again readied her wand. Turning to see if Luna was ready as well, Ginny discovered Luna was staring at her.

Ginny looked away, somewhat take aback by Luna’s overt assessment. After regaining her composure and turning back to her, Ginny asked softly, “Are you ready?” The sun had set and darkness was encroaching on the forest as Ginny waited, shifting uncomfortably when Luna was slow to answer.

Taking a few steps toward Ginny, Luna stopped with her nose a few inches from Ginny’s freckled one and reached out to gently run her finger down Ginny’s arm to the scarf. Her eyes closed slowly as she stood silently in front of Ginny.

With her heart beating hard in her chest, Ginny stood there unsure of what she should do. Her first urge was to lean forward and press her lips to Luna’s, but during all the chances they had to kiss Luna had only bestowed the chastest of kisses to her cheek. _I can’t,_ she thought. _I'm probably imagining things…_

Too timid to do what she truly wanted, Ginny leaned slightly to her left, moved a few inches forward and pressed her lips to Luna’s cheek. Ginny felt Luna’s cheek move in response and could almost see the soft smile that she imagined graced her friend's lips. She allowed her kiss to linger for a moment before slowly pulling away.

After opening her eyes, Luna regarded Ginny intently for several long moments. It was almost as if her friend was contemplating saying something but finally decided not to. That really seemed odd to Ginny because in all her interactions with Luna, Ginny couldn’t remember ever having that impression before.

“We should really get going and see what that was,” Ginny suggested tentatively, to break the tension that had surrounded them.

After a few seconds, Luna nodded and turned to lead them off in the direction of the noise they had heard. It took several minutes before Luna slowed their pace and began to search around the area where a couple of trails converged. Noticing something off to their left, Ginny pointed. “A field,” she whispered causing Luna to turn and look.

Moving more cautiously and slowly now, they made their way into the clearing. Taking a few steps away from each other, they walked the length of the field looking for signs of the commotion. Ginny continued her search moving in a steady pattern until she had walked to the edge of the clearing. As she completed her patrol, she caught sight of Luna standing ten or so meters away. Her eyes seemed riveted to the ground, as she stood with her arms crossed pensively in front of her.

“Luna?” Ginny asked softly as she made her way to Luna’s side. “Did you find something?” Crossing the last few steps to reach her friend, Ginny came to a halt and looked down to see what had Luna so captivated. She gasped and her hand instantly shot to cover her mouth as her eyes widened in shock and horror.

Lying on the ground in the high grass of the field was the mutilated body of a person in wizard’s robes bearing the crest of the Salem Witches' Institute. As Ginny looked, she saw that the robes had been slashed open starting at the left hip and a bloody gash ran up the person's torso. As she followed the line of the wound upward, it abruptly ended at the neck where blood congealed at the place where the person’s head should have been connected.

Turning away, Ginny staggered a few steps and fell to her knees. Covering her face with her hands, she fought to get a hold of herself but failed and began shaking uncontrollably. “That…no boggart did _that…_ ” she muttered, more for her own benefit than for Luna’s. She knelt in silence for several minutes, unsure of what she should feel or think. There was a person, or what remained of a person, who was dead not a meter from her. She didn’t know if she should be weeping or running for her own life. Suddenly, she was pulled from the turmoil of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder. Whirling around, she saw Luna standing just behind her looking down at her in concern.

Luna stood there for a few moments, a gentle expression in her eyes as the moon cast light upon them, and she continued to rest her hand on Ginny offering wordless support.

After taking a few very deep breaths, Ginny finally rose to her feet but made sure to step away from where she knew the headless corpse lay. She had seen all she needed to of that. Moving a few meters away, she turned to see that Luna had followed her. Noticing Luna’s expression, Ginny spoke. “I’m all right,” she said, not very convincingly.

“I know,” Luna responded, the confidence in her words filling Ginny with strength. “We should really go before the Headless Horseman returns. I have looked over Professor Huntington’s body and I didn’t find anything that will help us.”

Ginny recognized the name, remembering the stout and jovial Professor they had met in passing before heading out on their own to investigate things. She had liked him; he had been very nice to both Luna and her. For a moment, she wondered how it was that Luna recognized the man considering what had happened. She had obviously found some identifying feature while Ginny was turned around. Concluding that she really didn't need or want to know, Ginny decided not to ask.

“We should go back to the camp and tell Professor Harnst at once,” Ginny insisted.

Luna brought her hand up to grip her chin and looked down for a moment seeming to consider Ginny’s suggestion. After a moment, she looked back up to meet Ginny’s gaze. “I think you are probably right,” she began. “Though…”

Ginny whipped her head around as if she heard something, causing Luna to stop speaking. “I could have sworn I heard something,” she informed Luna as her eyes darted about quickly. Seeing nothing, she returned her attention to Luna.

Seeing the expression of stark terror in Luna’s eyes, Ginny was instantly filled with dread even before turning around. Slowly cantering up the trail leading into the field was the now familiar sight of a giant black horse with an armor clad, sword-wielding headless figure perched atop it.

Ginny slowly moved to stand beside Luna as she ran her index finger over her wand. Raising it swiftly, she pointed it at the mounted figure now slowly approaching them. "We can't run," Ginny whispered to Luna. "He'll be able to catch us."

Luna nodded. "Even if we split up, he would surely catch one of us."

Ginny shivered slightly, not even wanting to consider that option. When the slowly moving horse was about three meters away, Ginny steadied her hand. Trying to think back on her training in Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she drew on her strength and courage even as fear gripped her.

 _"Expecto Patronum!"_ she shouted. A wispy strand of white fog emitted from the end of her wand but quickly dissipated. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as hopelessness washed over her. Ginny's mind seemed to lock up and all she could think about was the likely gruesome fate that awaited her and Luna at the hands of the Headless Horseman.

Then time seemed to jump forward as the Headless Horseman spurred his mount toward them. Reaching out, she shoved Luna as hard as she could, causing her friend to stumble a few steps before falling to the ground as Ginny jumped the opposite direction. The two girls barely cleared the legs of the galloping horse as it sped by and Ginny felt the rush of air and heard the swoosh as the blade swept barely over her head.

Allowing her momentum to carry her, Ginny rolled another meter before quickly jumping to her feet as the horse was stopping to turn around on the other side of the small field. Stabbing her wand forward, she allowed the tip to dip slightly. _"Locomotor Mortis!"_

The horse stumbled as the leg-locker curse took affect but it appeared to be shrugging off much of the effect since it should have been unable to move. Ginny was attempting to summon the concentration for another curse when she heard Luna off to her right shout out the curse and bands of green light wrapped around the horse’s legs. With the addition of the second spell, Ginny saw the horse tumble to the ground and spill its rider.

Thudding to the ground only deterred the Headless Horseman for a matter of seconds before he pried his armor-clad body from the ground and began walking directly toward Ginny. Planting her feet, she aimed her wand at the figure striding toward her, his sword held at his side.

 _"Stupefy!"_ she shouted as a dart of red energy shot from her wand and slammed into the Headless Horseman's torso. He staggered a step but quickly recovered and continued toward Ginny. _"Stupefy! Stupefy!"_ She cast two more stunners at him but they had no more effect than the first.

Ginny's breathing was heavy and the tip of her wand bobbed slightly with exertion. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself. _"Expelliarmus!"_ Ginny shouted. The disarming spell slammed into the hand holding his sword with such force that it spun the Headless Horseman around. When he was facing Ginny again, the sword shot back away from his body with such force that she heard a sickening crunch and a tearing sound from beneath his right pauldron.

The figure stopped as his right arm fell slack to his side and the sword hung limply from his gauntlet. The relief that filled Ginny at the sight was short lived as the Headless Horseman shifted the sword to his left hand and started forward again. Summoning her resolve and her waning strength, Ginny aimed her wand in his direction once more.

The Headless Horseman leapt forward with startling speed and swung out with his blade. Ginny fell backwards and landed on her backside, the Horseman's blade slicing open her robes, barely missing the flesh beneath. She stared up in stark terror at the headless being standing over her. Ginny was unable to even raise her wand or cover her face.

Suddenly, the Headless Horseman slowly slid back away from Ginny as if caught on the soft breeze that swept gently through the tall grass of the clearing. Glancing over, she saw Luna pointing her wand at the Horseman. _"Mobilicorpus. Mobilicorpus. Mobilicorpus,"_ Luna chanted, so softly Ginny could barely hear the words.

Ginny shook her head. _There is no way that should work,_ Ginny thought to herself as she recalled the spell Luna was using. She had seen it used many times on the Quidditch Pitch. It's usual application was to move unconscious or badly injured people who couldn't move on their own. She was shaken from her thoughts as the Headless Horseman fought against the gentle breeze like he was trying to move in a maelstrom. He shifted his shoulders back and forth for over a minute before he finally broke free of the spell and again charged at Ginny.

Raising the broadsword over his head, the Horseman stood directly over Ginny as she raised her wand. As he took the last step needed to be in reach of her, Ginny realized her wand was not in position for an accurate spell, even if she had managed to come up with one.

Just as the sword began its downward arc for Ginny's head, _"Stinguo Animo!"_ rang across the field in a strong and resolute tone Ginny had never before heard emerge from Luna. A bolt of brilliant lightning shot forth from Luna's wand and immediately wrapped itself around the Headless Horseman. His body convulsed and the sword flew from his grasp as his fingers slackened allowing it to spin harmlessly over Ginny's head and into the woods.

Immolated in the white lightning that danced over his body, the Headless Horseman's body danced under it for almost a minute before the arc of lightning stopped from Luna's wand. The headless body stood for only an instant before toppling to the ground in a clang of metal. Smoke rose from the armor and the flesh beneath as Ginny scrambled away from it, dragging her behind through the grass.

A putrid stench wafted over her from the Headless Horseman's body. Turning away from it, Ginny covered her mouth with her hand and fought desperately to keep her last meal from leaving her stomach. She heard footsteps drawing near and out of the corner of her eye she saw Luna make her way over to the corpse before kneeling next to it. Pulling out the glasses she had worn while interviewing the campers earlier in their visit, Luna put them on and began looking over the body. Almost as an afterthought, she took a handkerchief out of her pocket and covered her nose and mouth with it.

Trying to regain her composure and fighting back her nausea, Ginny asked breathlessly, “What just happened?”

Without looking away from the now rotting corpse, Luna answered, “I believe we just stopped what we were led to believe was the Headless Horseman.”

“The one you’re looking at looks exactly like the one we saw earlier,” Ginny rebutted, trying to understand where Luna was headed with her comment.

Luna nodded slowly. “That’s because, as far as I can tell, it is the one we saw earlier. I’m just now convinced that this isn’t the Headless Horseman.”

"Are you saying that not only is this not a boggart, but that it isn't even a creature like the one featured in the story that created the original unique boggart?" Ginny inquired, somewhat confused. "Wasn't he the spirit of a dead Hessian Soldier or some such?"

Luna looked the corpse up and down once more before standing and moving over to Ginny. Offering her hand, Luna helped Ginny up. After the redhead had regained her feet, Luna still held her hand gently as she looked at her. "I believe we are dealing with something all together different," Luna answered softly.

Ginny took a moment to consider what had transpired. “Wait a minute,” she began. “Why did the spell you cast earlier work? The one used to move injured people off the pitch?”

“I was testing a theory.”

Ginny’s cheeks flushed. “Testing a theory? You mean, you didn’t know if it would work or not?”

Luna shoulders shrugged slightly. “Nothing else seemed to be working, so it seemed like the appropriate time.” As a gentle breeze blew over them, Luna looked up at the stars for a moment and closed her eyes. Returning her gaze to Ginny, she added, “Besides, I was pretty sure it would work given all that I've seen up until this point.”

Hearing a rustling on the other side of the clearing, Ginny gave a startled scream as the horse they had felled earlier, got up and shot out of the clearing with a clash of hooves and a loud whinny. A moment later, she shook her head and chuckled nervously.

Luna gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry, I think he is a just a normal horse. Though he was likely ensorcelled in some fashion, it seems the control expired with the magic empowering that corpse.”

“Blimey,” Ginny muttered. “Hang on, you’re telling me someone was able to bring a corpse back to life? Or control it, like with an Imperious Curse?”

“Not exactly,” Luna said ambiguously, as she looked down the bridge of her glasses at Ginny then turned to look around the field once more. Suddenly, she released Ginny’s hand and turned on her heel.

As she began to walk away, Ginny called out to her. “Where are you off to? We need to go back and tell Professor Harnst.”

“We can’t yet,” Luna said as she stopped beside the headless corpse and leveled her wand at it. “Time is short and I think this might be the only chance to catch the person responsible.

Ginny cocked an eyebrow. “And you know how to set about that? Because, last time I checked, we didn’t have any other suspects than the Horseman himself.”

Luna didn’t seem bothered by Ginny’s tone and simply took a deep breath and closed her eyes. _"Revealio Arcanus,”_ she whispered softly as she gestured with her wand. A circular symbol of skulls and thorns began to glow in an eerie green light on the breastplate. Bringing her wand to her glasses, Luna tapped them and said, _"Arcanus Pathios.”_

“Well?” Ginny asked anxiously.

“With the help of my glasses and the wizard mark on the armor, I should be able to follow the creator,” Luna said, as she slowly spun her whole body around on her toe, scanning the area. She stopped and stared at an over-grown trail just off to her right. “This way.”

A chill went right up Ginny’s spine as the breeze unexpectedly turned cold. “Luna, I’m not sure we should pursue this on our own. We promised that if we ran into any danger we’d tell Professor Harnst and return home. What we've done to this point is already questionable but this is blatantly ignoring, not only her instructions, but what I told my parents too.”

Ignoring Ginny completely, Luna began to whistle in a pitch barely able to be heard. The tune was muted and slow at first and the melody unrecognizable. With a few agonizingly slow steps forward, Luna stepped onto the trail. As she took another few steps, the tune grew a bit louder and the tempo picked up slightly. Turning to look over her shoulder, her lips puckered, she continued to whistle.

Finally, Ginny recognized the tune. Groaning, she looked away from Luna’s mouth and shook her head. “You know we shouldn’t.”

Luna only shrugged as she continued to whistle her tune. Holding a hand out to Ginny, she waited. It took a few moments before Ginny even noticed Luna’s hand being offered to her.

Ginny agreed with a smug grin. “All right, but when my Mum paddles me silly, I’m going to tell her it was your idea and I tried to talk you out of it.” After Ginny took Luna’s hand, they made their way down the path and, a few moments later, Ginny joined with Luna in whistling _Weasley Is Our King._


	4. Colonist and Courier

“Are you sure your glasses aren’t broken?” Ginny asked as she limped along the trail. She had just tripped and nearly sprained her ankle on the fifth foliage-hidden root she had stumbled over in the last half hour. “We’ve been wandering these woods for hours.”

Luna had been silent since they had stopped whistling a few minutes after leaving the field where the headless corpse lay as well as the body of the Professor Huntington. “They are not broken,” Luna answered in a hushed tone. “It would be best to be quiet. I think we're getting close.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. For the first time in the entire trip, she was beginning to doubt Luna and her observations. She considered rebutting for a moment but kept it to herself. Ginny decided she’d give it half an hour more and, if they hadn't found anything, then she’d talk to Luna again and they would go back to camp.

The next thirty minutes was torturous with annoying mosquitoes, prickly bushes and hidden tree roots. _I’ve had it_ , Ginny thought to herself. _We are heading back this instant._ Stopping on the trail, she was just about to speak when she heard the heavy snap of a branch.

Her hand shot out and grabbed Luna’s arm and dragged her into the bushes. Crouching down, they peered about until they saw a tall figure emerge from around the bend in the trail ahead. Judging by the build, Ginny guessed the figure was male but it was impossible to be sure given the billowy robes.

“That is the one who cast the mark,” Luna whispered but her voice was far too loud for Ginny’s tastes.

Raising a finger to her lips, Ginny urged Luna to be quiet, not even risking making a shushing sound. Luckily, it seemed he had not heard Luna as he continued to pace upon the trail. This continued for several minutes.

“Where are you, you tart?” he muttered under his breath. “The nerve to keep a servant of the Dark Lord waiting.” His accent was thick and it shocked the two girls to hear that it was British.

“I am right here, Connor,” a soft, female voice answered from the woods very near Ginny and Luna.

Ginny’s heart skipped a beat as her hand went to her wand but Luna’s hand moved to rest reassuringly on her other forearm. She waited for what seemed like an eternity as soft footfalls made their way past their hiding place and onto the trail.

“And there is no need to use such language - about me, no less,” the slim female figure added. “After all, you are here to garner my aid, not vice-versa.” Ginny listened to the voice. For a moment there seemed to be a hint of a British accent to her speech as well but it disappeared almost as fast as it appeared.

“I mean no offense, Mistress Carrier, but you did keep me waiting well past our agreed upon meeting time,” he said as he pulled his wand from his belt. Waving it absently, the tip flared in a brilliant ball of light.

Shrinking further into the bushes that hid them, Ginny and Luna continued to watch intently. Finally the female figure came into view. She appeared to be no more than five years older that Ginny and was wearing a long velvet dress of purple and crimson whose styling seemed to be a mix of Puritan and Victorian but refuted both with its plunging neckline. She had soft brown hair the hung straight down almost to her waist. Her eyes seemed to glow a predatory amber in the wand light. Then Ginny noticed something very odd; in contrast to her unflawed, pale skin, she had a horrible scar that went all the way around her neck just below her chin.

“You've always given me the impression that I am well worth the wait,” she countered. “Though I don't think this meeting will be especially fruitful for you.”

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. “Oh? And why is that?” Connor asked, contemptuously.

“Well, first off, it appears you have misplaced your little abomination on horseback,” she sneered as she glanced about to supplement her remark. “Unless you have used some sort of charm to shrink him down so you can carry him around in your pocket.”

“Make light of my creation, if you wish,” he shrugged. “But be mindful, the Dark Lord will turn his attention to your little country next. I am sure you would wish to be on the side that will be victorious in that conflict, for anything less than alliance will make one an enemy.”

Mistress Carrier waved her hand absently, as she turned away from him. “Yes, yes,” she answered in a bored tone. “So you have said at every meeting we’ve had thus far. I can’t say I’m any more impressed than I was the first time.” Connor seemed like he was going to comment but she cut him off. “You know, I will say I am somewhat impressed by how you were able to enchant your golem of dead flesh to actually draw blood. Or was that some exaggeration as well?”

“It is not an exaggeration or an untruth. Soon you will see that it can go beyond simple blood letting, when my golem arrives with the head of one of the Professors from the Salem Institute.”

She tensed her shoulders at that comment but quickly relaxed them. “You never did explain how you were able to do that,” the young woman commented.

“My magic and mastery over Necromancy are none of your concern, nor am I obligated to indulge your curiosity,” the Connor answered snidely. “All you need concern yourself with is the fact I was able to and soon I will be adding more of my creations to this world to serve the Dark Lord as I do.”

“Uh-huh,” she responded before turning her gaze directly towards Luna as she continued to speak to the man behind her. “And what if I were to say that your skills and magic had nothing to do with it. What if there was a portion of your ancient ritual you didn’t understand and the course of actions that caused your creature to spill blood had absolutely nothing to do with you or your brilliance?”

“Your mistaken observations are of no concern,” the Death Eater responded trying to sound confident but an edge of nervousness had crept into his voice.

“You’re lying,” she said as she turned again to face him. “I can always tell when someone is lying to me now. Ever since that day by the hanging tree, I’ve been able to tell.” She took a few steps toward him. “Clearly you didn’t do your research adequately on Sarah Carrier or her death or you would have known that?”

Ginny looked at Luna, a confused expression on her face. Luna met her stare but her blank expression conveyed neither understanding nor lack there of.

“Now, you hold on just a minute…”

“Calm yourself, Connor,” she cut him off. “It doesn’t matter if you lie to me or not. I’m sure you're smart enough to have investigated how the golem was able to actually harm someone other than in defense and how it has grown to accept commands to that effect now as well.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” he answered, his words spoken far too fast and his tone far too high to be convincing.

Sarah sighed and shook her head, looking at the ground for a moment before meeting his gaze again. “You are a complete fool, much as I suspected from the moment you sought me out in the graveyard.” Again, he seemed as if he wanted to protest but it was as if the words were trapped in his throat. “In fact, I doubt you're even smart enough to realize that two little girls were able to make your entire scheme fall apart.”

Ginny gasped as Sarah turned to look directly toward their hiding place. Motioning with her hand, Sarah added, “They were even able to eavesdrop on our entire conversation unbeknownst to you.” She pointed her finger at Luna whose expression grew even more vacant than normal as she stood up from behind the bushes.

Grasping her wand tighter, not sure of what else she could do, Ginny stood as well and aimed her wand directly at the young woman. “That’ll be enough of that. I don’t know what you’re doing to her but stop it now. Or else!”

Sarah’s brow furrowed as Ginny’s heart hammered in her chest. “Or else what?”

“Find out,” Ginny answered, the tip of her wand steady even as her sweaty palm gripped the handle.

Much to her surprise, Sarah lowered her arm and Luna shook her head in obvious confusion for a moment before returning her attention to the woman and her Death Eater companion. “How cute,” Sarah remarked after a moment before turning her back to Ginny’s wand and addressing Connor. “As I said, there they are.”

Connor took a few steps forward. “Children from Hogwarts?” he asked, as he took in their robes and house scarves. “Preposterous. There is no way these children could have foiled my plans or those of the Dark Lord.”

Ginny continued to hold her wand in front of her, though the tip was pointed at the space between Sarah and Connor, not sure who she would need to hex first if it came to that. “Take out your wand,” Ginny whispered between clenched teeth as she turned her head slightly toward Luna.

“There is no need,” Luna replied softly. “You are here to protect me.”

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Luna but didn’t want to risk any further communication as now both Connor and Sarah were staring at them. Turning her attention back to Connor since he looked like he was about to speak, Ginny was surprised when he remained silent.

“You see, they were even able to destroy your golem,” Sarah explained, her wand waving gently to emphasize her point. “Though I’m sure you’ll be happy to know your experiment was a success before it was terminated. Your creature was able to slay a living being without provocation.”

“What did Professor Huntington ever do to you?” Luna asked, her head cocked to the side.

Connor immediately laughed, a contemptuous and cold tone entwined the sound. “Pathetic child,” he spat. “Do not be so naïve. A subject was needed for my test so one was found. Your ridiculous sentimentality and that of the others like you will be the fall of Dumbledore’s forces and will ensure the Dark Lord’s victory.

In a sarcastically light tone, Sarah answered his comment before Ginny was able to voice any manner of rebuttal. “That ‘pathetic child’ is the one that undid your magic,” she answered before her expression turned hard. “Even though you were adamant that the wizarding community would have no idea what-so-ever about your necromantic arts since they were long lost to the ages." Regarding him intently, Sarah continued, “But yet, two little girls…”

“We're not little girls,” Luna chimed in. “We're about to start our fifth year…”

Sarah cut Luna off with a wave of her hand. “But yet, these girls were able to unravel your magic with virtually no preparation or study and were able to not only escape your creature but to destroy it.” She brought her hand up to rub her chin, as she seemed to ponder this thought for a moment. “When you came to me,” Sarah began again shifting the subject; “You said that your golem would serve as a demonstration as to what would be possible after you unlocked its offensive capabilities. I think I have seen demonstrated everything that I need. When these witches return to their school in the British Isles, they will bring with them all the tools needed to unravel this little plot of yours.”

“That is assuming,” Connor replied, as he turned toward Ginny and Luna with a menacing look in his eyes, “that they make it back to tell anyone anything.” He tossed a look at her from the corner of his eye. “I’m quite certain I can handle them on my own but if the Dark Lord was to learn you were unwilling to aid me in this, things might get very dangerous for you.”

Ginny tensed and her wand wavered slightly as her mind spun furiously with possible spells, jinxes and hexes that might get them out of this situation. Luna now reached for her wand as well, curling her fingers around the handle of it before drawing it and lowering it to her side. Connor laughed in obvious contempt of whatever threat they posed to him.

“You can’t be serious!” he bellowed toward Ginny and Luna, his wand still not in hand. “You two children would presume to threaten a servant of the Dark Lord! Drop those wands now or I will bestow pain upon you like you can’t even imagine.”

Ginny saw Luna tremble and dart a look back in the direction of their adversary. Steel-like resolve hardened within Ginny as she stared down the Death Eater. Her features hardened and even Connor seemed to be taken aback by what he saw in her eyes. “So, this is how it shall be then?” he sneered. “So be it.”

Ginny was just about to cast a disarming spell at the servant of Lord Voldemort as his hand moved toward his wand but it became unnecessary as his hand stopped moving when Sarah’s soft voice touched his ear. “You are mistaken, Connor.”

He turned a furious gaze at her. “How dare you?”

“You and your Lord are pathetic fools. I would no sooner ally with you than I would sit on the beach to get a tan,” she said, chuckling at a joke Ginny didn't understand and no one else laughed at. “I consider our negotiations to be at an end.”

“Filthy brasser,” he cursed as he drew his wand and turned toward Sarah. Ginny was so shocked at the sudden movement that her wand wavered as she cast her spell. As the red bolt flew harmlessly past the Death Eater, Ginny aimed her wand again. Luna appeared frozen in place but Ginny’s mouth fell open at what she saw next.

 _“Avada Kedavra!”_ Connor screamed, his voice full of rage, as a ball of sickeningly pale green light flew out of his wand toward Sarah.

An evil smile came to Sarah's lips as the ball touched her chest and swelled out to wash over her body. An instant later, she stood as she had before the spell was cast. Connor’s mouth fell open. “No, no…”

In a blur of movement, Sarah stepped forward so that she was well within the reach of Connor’s wand arm. Seizing it by the wrist, she twisted his arm almost casually. The sound of a wet snap was immediately followed by Connor’s hoarse scream as his wrist broke and his wand fell to the ground.

After his screams had been reduced to moans, Sarah leaned in close so their noses were nearly touching. “I’m afraid so,” she answered him. “That is your greatest weakness. You are no different than your creation -- a simple automaton. You should have realized that you could not bring death to that which is already dead. Yet, your dependence on such a spell to serve your every purpose is your weakness; it is the weakness of all the Death Eaters. It is that flaw that left you unable to see that other wizards and witches actually think and evaluate and do not make decisions by rote. That is the very reason these two girls were able to unravel your plans. It is also why you will die this night.”

In the pale light of the moon, fangs glinted in her mouth as she leaned forward and sunk them into Connor’s neck. Almost immediately he stopped fighting her, his features going slack, as it seemed he was now feeling anything but pain.

Luna’s eyes went wide and she stumbled back a couple steps while Ginny seemed frozen by the sight before her. Connor hung limply in Sarah’s arms as he slumped over but she held him as easily as if he were a rag doll. Ginny still held her wand out but her hand was now shaking so badly she wasn’t sure she could hit the broad side of a barn if she needed to cast a spell.

After a few moments, Sarah allowed Connor’s body to fall to the ground as she straightened up and turned to face Luna and Ginny. Her lips were still wet with his blood as she took a few steps towards the two girls.

“D-don’t come any closer,” Ginny warned, trying in vain to keep her voice steady.

“Now, now,” Sarah admonished. “We wouldn’t want this to turn ugly, would we?”

Luna shook her head slowly as Ginny regarded Sarah, unsure of what to say or even think. “No,” she finally answered. “But you can speak from over there just fine,” Ginny added, her wand still pointed at Sarah. Luna moved a couple steps over to stand behind Ginny, her hand falling to the small of Ginny’s back as she hid herself somewhat from the vampire’s view.

Sarah sighed disgustedly. “Very well, have it your way. But bare in mind, I did just save your lives.”

Luna rested her chin on Ginny’s shoulder and seemed to think for a moment on Sarah’s assertion before shaking her head slowly and then moving back to hide her face behind Ginny. “My friend seems to disagree with your assessment,” Ginny commented, her eyes narrowed.

Sarah rolled her eyes and shook her head. “What is it with you people?” she asked, not waiting for an answer. “Your egos are unbelievable.” The three stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Sarah broke the silence.

“Well, regardless of what you believe, I am washing my hands of this whole affair,” Sarah said, making a matching gesture with her hands. “The wars of witches and wizards have nothing to do with me any longer nor have they for a very long time.”

“What do you mean by that?” Ginny asked. “You mean to tell me you are not a witch?”

“No, my dear,” Sarah answered, as if speaking to a dim-witted child. “While I am still a witch and magic is still mine to command, I am far more than just a witch now. But your affairs are not my affairs and it would be inappropriate for me to meddle in them, just as it would be for the two of you to meddle in my business.”

Slowly, she turned on her heel, gingerly walked over to Connor’s body and picked up his wand between two fingers. She kept the wand pointed away as she returned to Ginny and Luna. “Do with this as you wish,” she said handing it to them. “I’m sure much information about its use could be divined from it.”

Ginny raised a skeptical eyebrow, keeping her wand pointed at Sarah as Luna took Connor's wand. “Thank you,” Ginny said, her voice lacking sincerity.

Sarah frowned at Ginny’s words and regarded her for a moment before adding, “If you would pass along to the witches at the institute that I am sorry for what has transpired. I had no wish for them to come to any harm. Sadly, your friend empowered the golem, unbeknownst to me until it was too late," Sarah spared a glance at Luna before looking back to Ginny. "I have no grudge with the Witches of Salem or they with me.”

"Wait a minute," Ginny began, her voice tight. "You are saying that Luna is responsible for making the golem able to bring harm?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes," Sarah answered. "The way to give a flesh golem the power to inflict harm is to have a martyr offer him or herself to it in the defense of others. Effectively, you need to trick someone into believing that someone or something of import to him or her is in mortal danger. If the defender throws herself upon the blade of the creature, it will then discover that it can bring violence to others."

Ginny felt Luna shift behind her as she stood before the vampire. Slowly, Ginny nodded. "We will pass along your message."

The vampire smiled, her fangs glistening. "You do that." Taking the hem of her dress in her hands, Sarah Carrier curtsied. "I bid you farewell though I am quite sure this will not be the last time we see each other." As she spoke, she seemed to look past Ginny to stare at Luna. "Yes, quite sure."

Before either could say another word, a gale rose up and blew through the trees. Their hair whipped up as the wind tugged at their robes. Sarah's body glowed before shifting to a cloud of mist that was carried away and was out of sight in an instant.

Ginny stood with Luna, the anxiety of the last few minutes suddenly threatening to overwhelm her. All she wanted to do was sit and take a moment to gather her composure so she let her wand fall to her side. Before she could collapse to the ground, she felt Luna's arms slowly creep around her mid-section and hold her gently.

She felt Luna's breath tickle her ear. "When we return to school," Luna said dreamily, "the Thestrals will be waiting at the heads of the carriages."


	5. The Road Home

It was an arduous journey for Ginny to return to their campsite that night to retrieve their possessions. They gathered their things as quickly as they could and managed to make it back to the Salem Witches' Camp just as dawn lightened the sky.

They made their way to Professor Harnst's cabin and roused her to explain briefly what had happened. She was aware of the little girl Ginny and Luna had saved and appalled by the apparent murder of one of her fellows. She also expressed great shock that the two girls had encountered Sarah Carrier, or at least someone who had claimed to be her. But, without discussion, she and a couple of the other Professors immediately left to investigate after sending Luna and Ginny back to their cabin to rest.

Almost as if an afterthought, Professor Harnst opened the door to the cabin just as Ginny she and Luna were climbing into their bunks and looked at Luna. "You do realize your father would be most displeased that you left camp grounds without telling anyone and that you put both you and your friend in grave danger?"

"At first, there was no reason to suspect it was anything other than a boggart," Luna answered as she rolled over. "By the time we did realize it, it was too late."

Professor Harnst regarded her for a moment, before turning on her heel and closing the door. The events of the day overtook them and Ginny and Luna both drifted off to sleep immediately.

After almost ten hours of sleep, Ginny and Luna awoke to the sound of knocking at their cabin door. Finding Professor Harnst waiting for them at the door, they quickly dressed and went off to have dinner and discuss the event further with the Professor.

Throughout their discussion after dinner, she repeatedly threw in admonishments of their actions directed at Luna. Occasionally, she threw a few in Ginny's direction such as: "If I were your mother…" and "I'm sure your parents would agree that…"

Ginny was the one who answered all of the questions asked of them while Luna sat silently, seemingly rather bored by the proceedings. When the professors had finished their queries, the girls learned that the portkey to bring them back would be active the following afternoon. A message had also been sent to both Luna's father and Ginny's parents telling them when the girls would be returning. It was only after all that had been discussed that the conversation turned finally to Sarah Carrier.

The Professor explained that Sarah had been the daughter of Martha Carrier, an early victim of the Salem Witch Trials. Young Sarah, who was five years old at the time of the trials, had unwittingly confirmed to authorities that her mother was a witch by answering their questions honestly. Her admission that her mother had been teaching her witchcraft set Sarah free but when her mother denied the accusation, fearing that her testimony would endanger other witches, she was hanged.

As a result, Sarah was a very troubled girl for the rest of her life. Even after the witch hysteria was long over, a mob in 1706 decided that young Sarah was still a threat to the town. They dragged her from her cottage and took her to the same tree where authorities had hanged her mother.

At this point in the story, both Ginny and Luna were enraptured. Ginny felt a lump rising in her throat and Luna's eyes were glassy. It was at that point that they learned how one could truly identify if one was in fact talking to the real Sarah Carrier.

"It was only after they had kicked the stool out from under her and she swung from the rope that someone intervened on her behalf," Professor Harnst explained. "She was pulled from the gallows before she could suffocate but not before a wicked scar formed, permanently marking her neck, where the rope tore into her flesh."

It turned out that no one knew the identity of the vampire that saved Sarah Carrier that day. The mystery of Sarah's salvation had never really been investigated, mostly because the entire mob that had attempted to murder Sarah had disappeared without a trace.

 

* * * *

 

That night, Ginny sat in her bed with sleep unwilling to cast its blanket over her. Her eyes kept creeping over to where Luna lay sleeping in her bunk. The mystery of the Headless Horseman solved, other more personal emotions churned in her teenage heart. _This didn't happen like it I imagined it would,_ Ginny thought. _If there were a spark there, one of the nights we were in the tent something would have happened._

More than once during the night, Ginny had nearly gotten out of bed to crawl into Luna's bunk. The urge to be near her again as they had been in the tent was almost overwhelming. She had gone so far on two occasions to throw her covers off and put her feet on the floor. Feeling the cold wood beneath her feet filled her with doubt, compelling her to move back beneath the covers.

Even the death of the American wizard and how close they had come to death themselves were not enough to draw her thoughts off Luna for more than a few fleeting moments at a time. Finally, near dawn, Ginny managed to drift off into a fitful sleep. It seemed like only minutes had passed before Luna was stroking her hair softly and urging her to get up and pack quickly so they could eat before heading off to the portkey.

First, donning appropriate muggle clothing and then taking their trunks to the van, they made their way to the Mess Hall. After bidding goodbye to everyone over breakfast, they were in the van again, leaving the camp behind as their time in the United States was drawing to an end. The car ride was mostly silent and any conversation was very light and only between Ginny and Professor Harnst as Luna stared out the window.

"Good luck to you both," Professor Harnst said, bidding them goodbye after she had delivered them to the House of the Seven Gables. After she had helped them move their trunks inside, she added, "And while I still question your judgment, there is no question that what you did was very brave and that your abilities are excellent not only for your age but when compared to all witches and wizards."

"Thank you," they both replied in unison.

"I'm sorry I can not wait with you for the portkey. There will still be a few hours before it will become active," Professor Harnst added. "But there is much at camp that requires my attention." Ginny and Luna nodded. "Be sure to give my regards to your father, Luna," she called as she got back into the van.

Waving as the van drove off, they watched it until it had turned onto another street and was out of sight. They stood side by side for a moment before Ginny felt Luna's hand slide into hers and hold on lightly. She turned to see Luna smiling at her. She smiled back, blushing a bit. "So, what do you want to do with our last few hours before heading back to the Burrow?" she asked Luna.

Luna shrugged. "I want to spend a nice afternoon with you," she replied dreamily. "Other than that, I leave it to you."

At her friend's words, some of her doubts melted away, something warm and welcoming replacing them. She gripped her hand a little more tightly and led Luna into the square. The hot summer day was just a little too warm even in their light shorts and T-shirts. After having ice cream and sharing a strange food called "fried dough" and a lemonade, they were just about to head to the House of the Seven Gables to wait for the portkey out of the sun when Ginny noticed a stand of souvenirs.

"By Merlin!" she squeaked. "I almost forgot my father's hat." She ran over and quickly bought a Boston Red Sox hat. Jogging back to where Luna stood waiting, she retook her hand and they went to the basement of the house to wait.

The cool air that wafted up the stairs felt very comfortable on Ginny's now slightly reddened face. "How do they do it?" she asked as she touched her very warm face. "With this much sun, how do they not burn to a crisp?"

"Not everyone is as fair as you," Luna answered airily while her thumb gently stroked Ginny's fingers as she held her hand.

Closing the door behind them, they made their way downstairs to find there wasn't really anywhere to sit in the earthen basement. At least, not that she could see in the pitch black. Ginny considered trying to find somewhere better to wait but then Luna released her hand and went over to her trunk.

She rustled around for a moment before Ginny heard the trunk close. _"Incendio,"_ Luna whispered after she had withdrawn her wand. With the small flame dancing on the end, she lit the lantern she had retrieved from her trunk and placed it on the table before extinguishing the flame. She then laid a blanket out on the dusty floor.

Luna sat down on the blanket as Ginny watched her. Luna closed her eyes and leaned back against one of the damp stonewalls of the earthen basement. Quickly looking around, Ginny studied their meager surroundings. With the few dusty shelves and single table with a blue and white speckled porcelain bowl, Ginny easily recognized the space as the portkey they had used to travel from London.

"Are you planning to stand there until the portkey becomes active?" Luna asked, drawing Ginny's attention back to her.

“No,” Ginny answered. “Of course not,” she added, moving to sit beside Luna. Once she had shifted about and found a comfortable place to settle, Luna crept closer to her. Lowering her head, Luna pushed it through the crook of Ginny’s elbow urging her arm higher. A nervous tingling began in the pit of Ginny’s stomach as she moved her arm around Luna’s shoulder and her friend rested her head just above her left breast.

Luna sighed contentedly against Ginny. “It’s nice down here,” she commented. “Just you and me.”

“Yes,” Ginny agreed. “Sadly, not for too much longer. Soon, I’ll be back in the Burrow and you’ll be jetting off to Sweden again to find your Crumple-Horned Snorkack.”

Luna slowly looked up, her soft gray eyes slightly glazed as she met Ginny’s gaze. “I wish you could go with me,” she replied softly. “Or that I could stay with you until we returned to Hogwarts.”

As Ginny glanced at Luna, her pulse quickened and it felt like a herd of griffins were flapping around in her stomach. Unflinching, Luna continued to stare into her eyes. With a speed so slow it would have been barely noticeable to someone looking on, Ginny leaned closer to Luna bringing her lips so close she could feel Luna's soft breath upon them.

When Luna didn’t react at all to her advance, Ginny almost pulled away a moment later. She feared she had made a terrible mistake, one she wasn’t sure she would be able deal with. But then, Luna’s eyes closed so Ginny took a chance and pressed her lips to Luna’s.

The softness of Luna’s lips against hers felt like nothing Ginny had experienced before. Sure, she had kissed her last boyfriend, Michael Corner, and had even snogged a bit with her new one, Dean Thomas, but it had never felt this good to her. Never before had she yearned with all of her heart to deepen the kiss. Never before had her body reacted as it was now. Her cheeks were flushed, her heart was hammering and she even felt an intense heat building between her thighs.

With newly found abandon, she ran her tongue lightly over Luna’s lips before pushing past them. Luna yielded easily, responding to Ginny with gentle movements of her lips and tongue to meet Ginny's advances. After each press forward, Ginny pulled back and took Luna’s bottom lip between hers. She sucked lightly and pulled, delighted by the needy sigh that escaped Luna each time.

Ginny’s hands moved to gently caress Luna’s back and she felt the crush of Luna’s breasts against hers as she moved into her embrace. Their kiss continued almost as an ocean touching two different and beautiful shores; each time the tide would retreat from one shore, it would surge forth toward the other.

Ginny moved her hands from behind Luna and brought them to rest gently on her cheeks. Holding Luna's face, Ginny broke the kiss and pulled back slightly. Luna's eyes were half closed and her cheeks were flushed as she remained just inches away from Ginny. Greatly daring, Ginny leaned in again and placed two quick kisses on Luna’s neck.

“That was amazing,” Ginny sighed as Luna pressed past her hands and snuggled against her neck.

“Yes,” Luna cooed, her voice muffled by Ginny’s neck and hair. Pressing her body lightly against Ginny's, Luna guided her to lie back on the blanket. Ginny’s thoughts were instantly transported back to that moment they had shared in the tent when Luna had curled up with her.

Allowing her urges to take her, Ginny gently placed her hand on Luna’s shoulder pulling her closer before darting in to kiss her once more. Unlike the times when Ginny had kissed Michael and Dean, she did not need to think. Her body responded naturally to her desires. There was no need to plan what she was going to do, no need to worry about how to ward off unwanted wandering hands.

Ginny's mind had often drifted to other things while she was kissing those boys - homework that needed to be done, what time quidditch practice was or when Errol would arrive with the next care package from home. But while kissing Luna, Ginny couldn’t form a coherent thought for all the galleons in Gringott’s.

Luna was the one that broke their kiss this time and moved to rest her face against Ginny’s chest. She absently reached up to run a strand of Ginny’s hair between her fingers. She then alternated between playing with her hair and caressing her cheek or neck. Ginny’s breathing was still quick and Luna seemed to relish the feeling of rising and falling with Ginny’s breathing.

“You know,” Luna said, offering their first words in quite a few minutes. “I’ve been waiting for you to do that since our first night in the tent together.”

“You have?” Ginny asked, again thinking back on that night.

“Yes,” Luna answered. “Though I have wanted a kiss from you for far longer than that.”

Ginny smiled and blushed. “I wish I’d kissed you sooner,” she confessed. “I just…I don’t know…”

“It’s for the best,” Luna replied. “It would have been rather inappropriate for the first kiss you gave me to have been at the time I wished it to be.”

Ginny thought back. _All of the times I thought she wanted me to kiss her have been when we’ve been alone. How could that have been inappropriate?_

As if sensing Ginny’s question, Luna asked one of her own. “Do you want to know when that was?”

“Very much.”

A beautiful smile came to Luna’s face as her expression grew dreamy. “It was on the train last fall. When you and your friends came to sit with me in the car I had picked. Harry, that beautiful owl, and you. Ron, Hermione and Neville joined us later, of course. But when you first arrived, you smiled at me. Your smile was so warm and friendly, I wished with all my heart that you’d come over and greet me with a kiss.”

“That’s so sweet,” Ginny said, before leaning down to place a soft kiss on the top of Luna’s head. “Though,” she added with a chuckle, “I think Harry would have fallen over from shock.”

Luna shrugged. “Possibly.”

With Luna curled up with her, Ginny’s mind began to wander somewhat. Feeling comfort in such close proximity to others was not something she was used to so strange memories and thoughts crossed her mind. First, she pictured the day she would graduate from Hogwart’s. She imagined the grandiose ceremony, standing there hand in hand with Luna, each at the edge of the group that formed their respective houses.

Next, she imagined herself sneaking through the hallways, dodging Mr. Filch and his cat Mrs. Norris as they patrolled the halls. She sneaked her way through the school toward Ravenclaw’s tower. She muttered the stolen password to the portrait that allowed her entrance.

Then she absently remembered a conversation she had overheard between Pavarti and Lavender about a spell Padma used to cast on the curtains of Pavarti’s bed when she would come to talk in the middle of the night. Amusingly, their discussion was of another application for that spell that was far less pure in purpose.

Another remembered conversation popped into Ginny’s head that was again between Pavarti and Lavender. They were discussing how the weirdest things popped into their heads when they were snogging with their boyfriends. Ginny butted in once saying that she only thought about what she wanted to when she was with Michael Corner, but she was instantly rebutted by them saying she would understand when she was older.

 _It wasn’t that I needed to grow up,_ Ginny thought as she held Luna. _It’s just I wasn’t kissing the right person._

Ginny gasped as she felt a very pleasant sensation coursing through her. She looked down to see Luna gently tracing the outline of her right breast through the fabric of her robe. Unlike every previous reaction she’d had to someone doing that, where she had swatted the hand away, instead Ginny leaned slightly into the soft caress.

Trying to keep her tone light but with a hint of nervousness now running through her, Ginny asked, “What are you doing?”

“Listening to your heart,” Luna answered, her head still resting on Ginny’s chest.

“Oh?” Ginny asked as Luna’s hand moved to rest on her tummy. “And what’s it telling you?”

“That I was right,” Luna answered simply.

“Right?”

“Yes.” Luna moved her head and slid up so her face was even with Ginny’s. “That you felt what I felt.” Ginny blushed as she listened but did not look away. “Your heart tells me how you feel for me and every beat resonates in my heart too.”

Luna had closed her eyes again by the time Ginny had leaned in to press her lips to Luna’s. As they kissed, Luna’s hand once more rose to Ginny’s breasts where she teasingly ran the tips of her fingers over the soft swells of flesh.

The heat between Ginny’s thighs was building again but also building was the apprehension and nervousness she had felt at each step along the way with Luna. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss and pressed her face to Luna’s shoulder as her mind churned.

Reaching up, Luna pushed aside the locks of red hair covering Ginny’s ear and neck. Gently, she took Ginny’s earlobe between her lips and sucked softly for a moment before running her tongue down the outside of her ear and back down her neck. Ginny moaned as Luna kissed and sucked just above where her neck met her shoulder.

Luna pulled back slightly and Ginny moved away from Luna’s shoulder to look at her. Luna’s expression was blank as Ginny met her gaze. “Are you all right?” Luna asked softly.

“Yeah,” Ginny answered immediately. “It’s just. I never…” her voice trailed off as she tried to calm herself and speak slowly instead of like a babbling idiot. Luna’s hand slipped beneath Ginny’s robe to her breast and teased her nipple through the cloth of the thin T-shirt that covered it. Ginny sighed contentedly. “And, I’ve never let anyone do that before.”

“Nor I,” Luna whispered. “I’m just letting my heart and my soul guide me.”

“You haven’t?” Ginny asked. “I had thought…”

Luna shook her head. “I have always known no boy was right for me. I just hadn’t found the girl who was until I met you.” Ginny darted in to peck her on the cheek before she continued. “And you didn’t learn until very recently that I was right for you.”

“I’m glad I learned that,” Ginny answered. She smiled wryly. “I just wish I hadn’t been such a slow student.”

Reaching up to place her hand behind Ginny’s neck, Luna guided Ginny atop her as she laid back. Their lips met again as Luna rested against the blanket covered floor. As they kissed, their hands began to wander, lightly touching over cloth covered backs, breasts and shoulders.

Ginny unfastened Luna’s robe and tossed it aside and quickly did the same with her own. As gentle fingers ran over the naked flesh of arms and legs, the air seemed to charge with each feeling building within them. Lips and tongues moved from each other's mouths to nibble, lick and kiss exposed ears, necks, arms, shoulders, hands and anything else that they had the urge to. As she lay atop her, Ginny’s thigh even pressed up against the middle of Luna’s shorts and felt a great warmth and subtle dampness there that immediately caused her to deepen their kiss in excitement.

As each minute went by, the excitement seemed to build but with it came other feelings. With each touch, Ginny felt more nervous, like each step she made would lead her to one she was unwilling to take. Even Luna seemed to feel the same, for when hands went too far up a thigh or brushed a pair of shorts, they immediately retreated to a safer place to roam.

Ginny pulled away and looked into Luna’s eyes, hoping she was able to convey all she felt in one look. She hoped Luna would understand how she felt and why she felt the way she did. It wasn’t that Ginny didn’t want to do anymore. From the signs her body was giving her, that clearly was not the case. But she knew she wasn’t ready.

Luna smiled at her lovingly. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she regarded Ginny. “Don’t worry,” she whispered, before urging another kiss from Ginny.

Sure that Luna understood how she felt, and even somewhat convinced she felt the same way, Ginny sensed a weight lifting from her shoulders. As they continued to kiss and caress, as their bodies pressed together and responded to each other, neither changed what they had been doing. But neither seemed to feel the need to go further either.

When she felt as if her heart would burst with passion, Ginny pulled away and rolled to lie beside Luna, her breath quick and her chest heaving. Luna was much in the same state as Ginny took her hand gently in hers. I can’t believe how nice this is, Ginny thought. _We both know what we want and seem to want exactly the same thing. I’m not fighting her off nor does she need to fight me off._

Ginny considered this for a few minutes. Unlike with her boyfriends, Luna had a line on her emotions and her body just like Ginny had. _Of course she does, you git,_ Ginny admonished herself. _Life isn’t a cheesy romance novel. People don’t just kiss and fall into bed._

“You’re thinking again,” Luna stated, matter-of-factly.

“Guilty,” Ginny said with a chuckle. Leaning up on her elbow, she looked at Luna. “And how do you always know that?” Cutting Luna off, she added with a smirk, “And don’t say I think loudly, because thinking doesn’t make noise.”

“You screw up your face a bit when you're thinking hard,” Luna answered, still looking at the ceiling. “You also bite your lower lip a tiny bit sometimes. It is very cute.”

“Oh,” Ginny mumbled, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

“If you don’t wish me to think you are cute…”

“It’s not that,” Ginny answered.

“…you shouldn’t blush like that either. That’s also quite adorable.”

Ginny swatted Luna on the shoulder. “Stop.”

Considering something for a moment, Ginny withdrew a bit and looked at Luna with a serious expression on her face. Luna turned to look at her and cocked her head to the side. "Luna, I wanted to ask you something. It might seem silly now…"

"It's not silly," Luna rebutted.

"You don't even know what I'm going to ask," Ginny said slowly.

"It doesn't matter. If you feel strongly about it, I'd never think it was silly," Luna replied.

Ginny took a deep breath as memories she wasn't very fond of came flooding back to her. She remembered being in the Ministry of Magic, battling the Death Eaters. She remembered how hurt everyone was afterwards. She remembered breaking her ankle and who was there to help her when she did. It wasn't her brother Ron; it wasn't Harry or even Neville. It was Luna.

"Did you mean what you said about needing me to help you when you asked me to come or did you ask me to come so that we could…" Ginny trailed off, not able to find the words to express her feelings for fear it would sound accusatory or insulting to Luna.

"I meant it," Luna responded simply, not seeming to understand the depth of the question.

"Well, throughout our trip you have treated me as if I were your champion. An ancient knight to defend a fair lady," Ginny explained. "But it was you who saved me when we were battling the Death Eaters. You were there for me. You don't need anyone to protect you; you are more than capable of that yourself."

Luna shook her head. "No, that is not true. Though I'm not sure I can explain properly," she said, her voice soft, and for the first time in many days she looked away from Ginny's gaze.

"It's okay, Luna," Ginny said. "You don't have to."

"No, I'll try." Taking a deep breath, Luna seemed to be composing herself. "I am not brave like you are, like a Gryffindor. I am a lady, you are a knight." She seemed to be trying to gauge Ginny's understanding as she paused. "A lady is best in support in every way. Once the battle is being waged and people are in danger, she can act and act well. But, before the battle begins, it is not for a lady to stand at the front. I wouldn't have the resolve or the strength."

"I think I'm beginning to understand," Ginny said, hoping she actually was beginning to understand.

"I could never be like you and stand before an enemy in the moments before a battle begins or stand up to their stares and challenges," Luna added. She tilted her head to the side. "Though now our relationship is somewhat changed."

"I would still like to be there for you like that when I can."

"Like Lancelot and Guinevere," Luna said dreamily. "Appropriate, in a way." Luna turned again to look at Ginny. "There is but one time you should never act as my champion," Luna added, her tone very serious.

"When is that?" Ginny asked.

"You will know the time," Luna replied cryptically.

On the table in the middle of the room, the large bowl seemed to hum slightly as if vibrating very fast. A moment later it stopped. Luna sat up slowly and looked at Ginny. “The portkey appears to be active.”

Ginny was suddenly worried. There was so much left to say - so many questions she didn’t ask. What would they do when they got back? Would they tell anyone about them? Was there a “them”? Would Luna really leave for Sweden? Would they both still feel the same way when they saw each other again at school?

Gently, Luna reached up and stroked Ginny’s cheek. Ginny took her hand and kissed it softly before they stood and kissed once more before gathering up their cloaks and trunks. They were both smiling widely to each other as they touched the bowl and disappeared from the basement of the House of Seven Gables.


	6. The Hogwarts Express

Ginny shouldered her way through the packed corridors of the Hogwart’s Express. Harry walked with her, carrying Hedwig in her cage. “Why does it seem like every year it gets more crowded?” he asked as a younger boy almost bowled him over as he ran by.

“I think it’s that we keep getting here later and later every year. We almost missed the train again,” Ginny answered. “If Mad Eye Moody had his way, we wouldn’t be on the train at all. He almost got his wish,” Ginny added with a hint of bitterness to her tone.

Harry raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment as she continued to lead them toward the back of the train. “Don’t forget, we need to find a cabin with a seat for Hermione and Ron too,” Harry reminded her.

“Don’t worry,” Ginny answered, a renewed urgency in her step as fear that her plan might fail gripped her.

“I imagine you aren’t trying to find Dean Thomas?” Harry asked as he gestured toward a cabin they had just passed. “Since we just went by him.”

“Nope,” Ginny answered, seemingly unconcerned. She had only had the barest of correspondence with him over the summer and only one letter since she had returned from Salem. Ginny had noticed that he was sitting and being very flirty with a sixth year from Hufflepuff. So she would likely not even need to explain to him that they were no longer dating.

She tried desperately to quash the anxiety that rose up in her as she thought about her real summer romance. _A lot of things can happen in a few weeks,_ Ginny thought and immediately wished she had not. Pushing the thoughts violently from her mind, she tried to dwell on more pleasant things.

“In fact, I was kind of surprised he didn’t come by this summer,” Harry added, seeming to ponder the situation. “How come?”

“Well,” Ginny began with a shrug. “It just cooled off, I guess. Tends to happen over the summer from what I hear." Glancing over her shoulder, she added, "Spoken to Cho at all over summer break?” She immediately had the effect she was looking for as Harry stopped asking questions and looked at the floor. Harry claimed to be completely over her and whether that was true or not, Ginny still knew how much he had hated it when people butted into his love life. So she figured correctly he would take the hint when he was butting into someone else's.

Ginny continued to lead Harry through the last car of the train and peered into one of the cabins. A huge smile played across her lips. “Find some seats?” Harry asked anxiously. “I thought we’d never find any.”

Ginny continued to stare into the room, observing the cabin’s sole occupant. The blonde figure sat with a magazine hiding her face. A wand poked unceremoniously from behind her ear. A scarf and matching tie of black and blue accented her witch’s robes. As Ginny looked at the cover of the magazine, she realized it was the latest copy of The Quibbler. The headline read: The Defeat of the Headless Horseman by Luna Lovegood and Ginevra Molly Weasley.

“Hello Luna,” Ginny called from the doorway.

Lowering her magazine, Luna smiled brightly at her as Ginny moved into the room with Harry close behind. Looking around, Harry muttered, “Thanks for saving some seats for us, Luna.”

If she heard him, Luna gave no indication as Ginny moved to stand before her. “Hey Harry!” someone shouted from behind her as Ginny slowly bent at the waist and leaned in, moving her lips to gently touch Luna’s.

“I missed you,” Ginny whispered, her lips brushing Luna’s an instant before they kissed. Their lips parted and Ginny deepened the kiss opening the floodgates of her emotions. In her mind, it had been far too long since Luna and Ginny had parted company. They hadn’t even been able to kiss goodbye as Luna’s father was at the portkey when they arrived outside of London and immediately took her off to Sweden.

They kissed for several long moments before they broke apart with Ginny still leaning over Luna. “It was everything I dreamed it would be,” Luna whispered before Ginny stood up and looked over toward the door where Harry stood.

He was leaning outside the cabin and shouting to someone for another moment before he moved back inside and Neville Longbottom entered the car. “We have room for Neville, right?” Harry asked. After all the thought Ginny had given to his likely reaction and how Luna might feel about it, he hadn’t seen a thing.

Ginny chuckled and flopped down to sit beside Luna. “It would appear so.”

Neville sat down with his toad, Trevor, who fought valiantly to escape his grip as Harry stowed Hedwig’s cage and seated himself as well. As the train’s whistle blew, Luna and Ginny turned toward each other and grinned as if they were both cats that had swallowed canaries.

“What are you two grinnin’ about, eh?” Ron asked as he ducked into the cabin with Hermione a step behind him.

Luna and Ginny each chuckled to each other before Luna held up the copy of The Quibbler she had been reading. “That’s bloody brilliant!” Harry exclaimed with a smile and the others were quick to agree. Luna handed Harry the magazine for him and the others to peruse.

Ginny slowly reached down and took Luna’s hand in hers and placed them on the seat between them, hidden beneath the folds of their robes. Ron and Hermione left to see to their Prefect duties while Harry and Neville launched questions at them about the article.

Slowly, the questions waned as the train moved towards Hogwart’s. Neville and Harry were soon occupied with their own conversation and Luna leaned in to whisper in Ginny’s ear. “I’ve missed you too.”

The last of the apprehension and anxiety that had gripped Ginny in the basement in the moments before they had returned to England evaporated. All that was left was happiness and excitement. “This is going to be the best year yet,” Ginny whispered back before giving Luna a quick peck on the cheek.

"Well, what do we have here?" a snide voice asked from the doorway. Harry, Ginny, Luna and Neville turned to see Draco Malfoy standing there looking very smug and self-assured with his two cronies Crabbe and Goyle flanking him. "Potter," Draco spat as he nodded to him. "Surrounded by your worthless friends I see."

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ginny asked, her temper beginning to rise.

"Nothing from you and your worthless mudblood loving family, Weasel-Girl," he said, with a maniacal grin.

"Why don't you get out of here, Draco," Neville added, unable to hide his contempt after they had all battled against Draco's father and Lord Voldemort.

Draco ignored them as he turned his attention to Luna. "It shocks me though," he began. "I'm shocked that even low-lifes like you three would stoop to hang about with the likes of Looney Lovegood." Ginny's grip tightened on Luna's hand as her other hand balled into a fist. "I mean, using her as a diversion last year is one thing, but come on."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry snarled.

"Now, now, Potty," Draco admonished, his tone sickly sweet. "Wouldn't want to have to give you detention." He emphasized his point by tapping his prefect badge. "If you're not careful, I might even force you to serve detention playing kissing games with Looney over there. In fact, she does bear a striking resemblance to a Dementor. I'm surprised you're still conscious."

Ginny's hand instantly shot toward her wand but Luna's grasp on her hand tightened in resolve. "Kissing has never been proved to be a reliable form of punishment," Luna said to Draco. "In fact, if you had read the June copy of The Quibbler, you would have realized that kissing is only considered a reasonable punishment in thirty-two kinds of crimes and of those it only acts a deterrent for six of them, none of which Harry has been convicted of." The whole cabin seemed confused by the randomness of her comment. "But, with all due respect, we were having a private conversation so if you would excuse us, Prefect?" Luna inclined her head to him.

Taken aback by the sudden turn of the conversation, Draco and his goons retreated. Neville and Harry went straight away to muttering to each other about what a greasy git Draco was. Ginny looked at Luna, trying to figure out why she had stopped her. Did she not want her to get in trouble? Was there some reason she wanted to be kind to Draco?

"This is where," Luna said cryptically. "Never at school."

Suddenly Ginny understood. Hogwart's was where Luna was so often made fun of, ridiculed, teased and tormented. She had never thought of it in that way before but Ginny admired her resolve and strength. A lady never needed a champion in the social arena, for that was _her_ arena.

"As you wish, M'lady," Ginny said with a courtly bow of her head.

Ginny and Luna smiled at each other as their grips tightened on each other’s hands. Soon they would be at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin their fifth year, their OWLs year. Ginny Weasley was sure that it would be a year that she would never forget.


End file.
